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It’s unfortunate she thinks that way. The bottom line is, we want to see more Albertans employed. There’s 10,000 fewer people (working)… Mark von Schellwitz, vice-president Western Canada, Restaurants Canada

The average restaurant in the province now employs roughly 11.7 staff, down from 13 in 2015, Restaurants Canada reported. It said the industry employs 149,400 in Alberta as of December 2018 — down from a peak of 159,000 in February 2015. In an industry with notoriously slim margins — the average is five per cent in the province — restaurants “are struggling to survive,” the group said.

“It’s not like I’m driving away in my BMW with buckets full of cash,” said board chair Saurette, who owns the Edmonton bistro The Marc. “My business is down by 14 per cent. My costs are up exorbitantly.

“I’m actually living here,” he said. “People that I’ve worked with since I was 14 years old (are) coming to me saying, ‘I don’t know if I can make it.'”

Among its recommendations, Restaurant Canada is calling for a wage hike freeze as well as the ability to pay youth and “liquor servers” less than the minimum. It also wants the government to scrap a new policy that allows staff to earn compensation on statutory holidays, regardless of whether they work.

“We take the recommendation of the restaurant employers very seriously,” Jason Kenney said at the event.

In an interview, Gray criticized Kenney, whose attendance she said counted as an endorsement of Restaurants Canada. Gray pointed to her government’s small business tax cuts and record receipt totals at restaurants around the province.

Restaurants Canada, however, said the receipts are high because restaurateurs have had to pass higher operational costs on to customers.

“Servers,” Gray said, “should be able to afford to put dinner on their own table at home.”

“I have met with Restaurants Canada and I would meet with them again…. But today was a campaign launch premised on policies that I deeply disagree with.

— With files from Clare Clancy, Postmedia News.

• Email: jedmiston@nationalpost.com | Twitter: jakeedmiston