Is the labour shortage over?

For nearly a year now we have been getting a sense that the labour shortage, post covid, is mostly over.  The economy is not as strong as before the 'recession that never happened', but from many average perspectives, it is not hard to see that we are Canada is still dealing with and feeling a labour shortage.  

Restaurants are moving slowly, hiring signs are posted in store windows, businesses I am encountering are one-by-one saying they are struggling with accessing talent and retaining them.  

Yet, somehow people are struggling to find work.  So why could this be?  Without a study conducted by a reputable organization, it is hard to understand, but some of the signs are their to influence my perspective.    It might be safe to assume that the typically lower paying jobs (often in retail) are available in abundance, but the higher paid (eg -tech) jobs are downsizing their teams and the demand for those jobs are greater, therefore people are struggling to find them.  

What we know for sure is that from agriculture to the trades, all industries will be affected by any labour shortage Canada faces.  Prepare and protect your business for what might be a 'rolling labour shortage' effect for years to come by using automation, and farming out the tasks that can be pushed out to other small businesses.  Social media management and bookkeeping are perfect examples.  It might cost you more money, but it will free up your time to service your business so it never falls behind.