The Canadian restaurant market, which had been steadily growing in recent years, has been hit hard by the pandemic just everyone else. It is expected to reach USD 61.4 billion in 2021, 11.8% higher than in 2020, but still 20% below 2019.

We asked Todd Barclay, President and CEO of Restaurants Canada since last September - and a partner of HostMilano also for the 42nd edition - how the association, which includes over 30,000 members, dealt with the crisis and how he sees the future.

A foreword: restaurants are a pillar of Canadian culture and economy, and Canada's tens of thousands of small and medium-sized food service businesses are key to fuelling the recovery.

What measures have you taken to support your members?

Before the pandemic began, the restaurant industry in Canada was a $93 billion industry, employing 1.2 million people and serving 22 million customers every day. Today the industry is fighting for its existence and needs continuous government support. From the beginning, we have provided health guidelines, shared best operating procedures for takeaway, delivery, staff management, and cleaning and disinfection to help those restaurants that continued to operate during the pandemic. Our advocacy efforts have focused on these key areas: rent support, labour cost assistance, increasing debt and cash flow, reducing red tape for small and medium-sized enterprises, and targeted support for the restaurant sector. Now that we are coming out of it and aiming for a strong and resilient recovery, we think that we need to evolve from emergency measures to a framework that supports business continuity and creates favourable conditions for long-term economic recovery.

How do you see the path to reopening?

We are faced with a unique opportunity to review all existing government programmes and create a vision and plan for the immediate future. We have identified gaps and proposed innovative solutions that will help ensure a sustainable future for restaurants across the country, anchored in local economies.

Restaurant operators are enterprising and resilient, and when they thrive, so do their communities. Even during the best of times, the average restaurant only retains about 50 cents for every $10 spent on a meal. The rest goes back into the market in the form of jobs, food and drink purchases, charitable contributions and more. We call on the government to think outside the box to encourage Canadians to spend more money, which will translate into additional government revenue through provincial taxes, income taxes and job creation, all of which will support the collective economic recovery.

How did the RC Show Online Live go, and what trends emerged?

Many have chosen not to participate to virtual fairs. We felt that at this time the industry needed to come together to share insights and best practices. The RC Show ONLINE LIVE brought together thousands of restaurateurs, chefs, industry professionals and brand leaders from around the world to provide innovative solutions and insights to help the Canadian hospitality industry. Over four days [28 February to 3 March, ed] more than 150 global experts provided over 50 hours of empowering leadership, research, trends and insights. RC Show attendees were able to come together virtually to discuss pressing issues such as workforce challenges, design for delivery, mental health and fighting racism and discrimination in the kitchens, while at the same time doing business with their key suppliers.