Staffing a resort-town restaurant in Whistler or Tofino: housing, hours and keeping a team through the low season

A restaurant in Whistler or Tofino can fill every table in July and struggle to find a dishwasher. The towns are small, the rents are high and the workforce is mobile. Owners who solve staffing and housing first usually solve the rest. This guide sets out practical choices, not legal advice, and some points need checking with the provincial Employment Standards Branch.

Why is staffing harder in a resort town?

• Housing. Rents and house prices are high compared with local wages, and long-term rentals are scarce. Many staff share rooms or live in vans.
• Seasonality. Work peaks in winter in Whistler and in summer in Tofino, and drops in shoulder seasons.
• Distance. The nearest large labour pool is hours away.
• Mobility. Many staff are young, on working-holiday visas or chasing a season on the mountain or the beach.
• Competition. Every business in town wants the same people at the same time.

How can you help with housing?

Housing is the most valuable benefit you can offer.

1. Lease a house or apartments and rent rooms to staff at a fair rate. Check the Residential Tenancy Act and the rules for staff accommodation tied to a job, and ask the Residential Tenancy Branch before you set rent.
2. Share with another business to spread the risk.
3. Partner with an employer-housing program run by the municipality or a resort association where one exists.
4. Keep a list of landlords and rooms to give new hires, and make introductions.
5. Be honest about the housing situation in the job post, so people can plan.

If you deduct rent from wages, the Employment Standards Act has limits on what can be deducted and requires written agreement. Ask the Branch before you do it.

What should you pay and promise?

The minimum wage is 18.25 dollars an hour from 1 June 2026, and in a resort most restaurants pay above it. Tips are on top of wages, and a clear, fair tip pool under sections 30.3 and 30.4 of the Employment Standards Act reduces arguments, and owners cannot share in it unless an exception applies. Offer guaranteed hours in the first weeks, a clear end date for seasonal contracts and a meal on shift. Staff discounts at neighbouring businesses are a cheap perk.

How do you schedule around quiet days?

Resort demand swings with weather and snow. Post schedules in advance and stick to them, but build a way to cut hours fairly when it is quiet: voluntary early finishes first, then rotating cuts. Check the rules on minimum hours of pay when an employee reports to work. Staff who feel shifts are handled fairly stay longer.

How do you keep a core team through the low season?

• Keep your best people on a year-round contract, even at lower hours.
• Close for a planned break so everyone can rest, and pay a retainer or bonus for returning.
• Cross-train staff for maintenance, prep and menu development in the quiet months.
• Offer a path from dishwasher to cook to supervisor.

A team that returns each year saves recruitment and training time.

What about training and safety?

New staff need FOODSAFE certification, and anyone serving alcohol needs Serving It Right. Offer both at hire and cover the cost. Check first aid and workplace safety obligations with WorkSafeBC, particularly for kitchens with hot oil and knives.

How do you recruit?

• Post early, in autumn for winter and in early spring for summer.
• Use the town's staff Facebook groups and job boards.
• Contact colleges with hospitality programs.
• Ask current staff to refer friends, and reward them.
• Be clear about wage, housing, hours and the end date.

What about work permits and young workers?

Many resort-town staff come on working-holiday or student permits that restrict hours or employers. Check each person's permit before they start, keep copies as the law requires and note expiry dates. BC also limits who can hire workers under 16: section 9 of the Employment Standards Act needs a parent's or guardian's written consent for light work by a 14 or 15 year old, and the Director's permission for other work. The Employment Standards Branch and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada publish the rules. A mistake here can lead to fines for the business, so when in doubt ask before you roster.

What should you do now?

1. Write down the number of staff you need each month of next year.
2. Count how many have housing.
3. Talk to two neighbouring businesses about shared housing.
4. Review your tip policy.
5. Plan a retention bonus for staff who stay through the low season.

Scheduling and tip-tracking tools can help, as long as they keep the records the Employment Standards Act expects.

More guides for your business:

• Victoria restaurants and the tourist season: cruise days, afternoon tea crowds and quiet winters
• CASL for restaurants: consent for text messages, loyalty sign-ups and birthday offers
• Interac debit and credit card costs for restaurants: reading your statement and choosing a processor

More in the Canadian guides for food businesses.