Banff-area hotels hope busing workers from Calgary a solution to staff shortages

Hotels in the Banff area are having such a hard time finding staff, they are looking at creative ways to address the shortfall, including busing them in from Calgary to cover weekend shifts.

Cleaning hotel rooms is hard work, but finding workers to do it is also a big challenge.

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Trevor Long, manager at The Rimrock Resort Hotel in Banff, says there is a chronic shortage of workers in the area.

"Right now we're in need of 14 housekeepers," Long toldCBC News.

"We're generally, always in need of 10-plus housekeepers."

He says with tourism numbers up, a staff shortage means the existing team has to work double time.

"There's not an option to not get rooms cleaned, so, they're either working overtime or six to seven days."

Long's hotel is among a group that is bringing in backup.

Starting next weekend, 15 housekeepers from Calgary will be bussed in on Fridays and back to the city on Sundays.

122 vacancies at 'The Castle'

It's a trial solution with the Calgary Hotel Association.

Janine Valliere, a recruitment manager with Banff Springs Hotel, says there's hope the program could expand.

"I would love to see this grow into a long-term solution where we go from five to possibly filling a 48-seater bus," Valliere explained.

Valliere says there are currently 122 vacancies at the "Castle in the Rockies."

Ericson Dizon has worked there for yearsvacuuming rooms,and he can't wait for some extra help.

"Having people come in and helping us would be very good for us."

There are roughly 5,500 hotel rooms between Banff and Lake Louise.

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