A&W franchisees in Quebec warn restaurants will shut their doors or slash hours unless Ottawa restores access to migrant labour, arguing local workers are no longer willing to take fast-food jobs.In a petition to the House of Commons human resources committee, operators in Sept-Iles and Baie-Comeau said temporary foreign workers are now the only reliable workforce available to keep locations operating.“Temporary foreign workers are currently the only labour force truly available to fill positions that Quebec workers refuse, students cannot take and newcomers do not target,” the franchisees wrote. “Without them, many services will close or drastically reduce their operating hours.”The operators said Quebecers are leaving fast food for more stable and better-paid employment, while students are unable to cover essential shifts. They argued the remaining local labour pool is insufficient to meet the basic needs of small and medium-sized businesses.Blacklock's Reporter said Quebec’s minimum wage stands at $16.10 an hour, lower than Ontario’s $17.60. .Franchisees described the province as facing a “profound structural and irreversible labour shortage” driven by an aging population, low birth rates, and the mass retirement of baby boomers.“This situation affects small and medium-sized enterprises in particular, especially in regions outside major cities,” the petition said, noting rural areas lack both a sufficient workforce and population growth to fill essential roles.The A&W submission was the first released as part of the Commons committee’s winter-long review of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. In 2024, the federal government tightened the program, cutting maximum work permits from 12 months to six and reducing the share of low-wage migrant workers employers could hire to 20% of payroll, down from 30%.Under the new rules, employers must also prove they attempted to recruit Canadians and asylum seekers with valid work permits, including Ukrainian refugees, before applying for foreign workers..“We know it’s time to ease our reliance on foreign workers,” then-employment minister Randy Boissonnault said when the changes were announced. “The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is a last resort.”Federal labour officials have previously acknowledged the program can displace Canadian workers. A 2021 departmental evaluation warned the wage program could have significant impacts in certain labour markets, potentially affecting jobs and wages.Quebec franchisees told MPs the tighter rules have already driven experienced migrant workers out of the province, destabilizing operations. They warned continued restrictions would lead to partial closures and financial losses while accelerating the migration of workers to provinces they described as more welcoming, including Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
