As many in the tourism and hospitality industry are aware, there is a significant staff shortage exacerbated by the lack of affordable housing. Recruiting and retaining enough employees to deliver minimum guest standards in many resort towns is a challenge that often results in reduced hours of guest service due to staffing shortages. A few businesses in Quebec are trying to deliver solutions by building brand new units that serve singles, couples, small families and even renters with pets.

Campus Ryan in Tremblant and Sainte-Agathe (Laurentians, Quebec region)

After months of planning and negotiating zoning permits to get the go-ahead and start building, Campus Ryan is now in the final permit process with the municipality of Mont-Tremblant, and the same group is also planning more units in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. Founders and developers, Raffaele Freddi and Marc Koran expect both projects to break ground by April 2023 and start delivering by December 2023. The Tremblant campus will feature 252 suites, while the Sainte-Agathe project will have up to 240 suites. The long-awaited design of Campus Ryan is a community living model that includes a variety of services on site. It’s located on the free shuttle route minutes to the mountain or town and will offer employees the opportunity to live among nature. Area employers have expressed great interest in securing these units and renters are invited to apply online immediately at campusryan.com.

Redefining Employee Housing

As land values at resort areas climb higher than the peaks of nearby mountains, gone are the days of musty staff housing with little-to-zero privacy. The upcoming Campus Ryan suites are custom-built to meet the highest environmental standards and will be fully furnished and tech-driven for comfort and convenience. A far cry from cramped and overcrowded dormitory-style accommodations, each bedroom at Campus Ryan boasts its own private ensuite bathroom, offering privacy and discretion to each resident. Long-term leases are available for up to two years, locking in the monthly rental rates estimated to be $740 to $1250 per month, depending on the unit. The apartments are well designed and very roomy, with fully equipped kitchens, Simmons Beautyrest mattresses and of course – plenty of storage room for bikes, skis, and all seasonal adventure gear. Renters will also enjoy amenities like BBQs, fire pits, a skating rink, outdoor beach volleyball court, and more. Convenience stores and restaurants will be a short walk away. As Freddi explains, “As we expand, the projects are easily repeatable and scalable, so we can help build new projects across the country as well.”

More info: www.campusryan.com

A new concept in Charlevoix for Le Massif employees

Le Massif de Charlevoix will inaugurate its very first employee accommodation, a necessary and urgent measure for successful recruitment. A new building consisting of 59 rooms will soon welcome its first renters. A true ski-in, ski-out accommodation located at the base of the mountain, the project features 14 units of 4 bedrooms each, and one of 3 bedrooms. Each unit is fully furnished with a kitchen, living room and full bathroom. The units are meant to serve as comfortable accommodation for temporary stays, for both families and individuals, while the employees settle in the region. This welcoming mountain community at the foot of the slopes was designed to help reduce labour shortage by giving newcomers an accessible pied-à-terre. In this first project, a common space will be set up within the building to encourage sharing and networking. The building of 59 rooms will be available to rent by December 17, 2022, while the first units will be ready by December 1, 2022. Rental conditions apply.

Le Massif is grateful for its partnership Club Med, which is used in recruiting talent worldwide. Recently, Le Massif signed contracts for immigration, a necessary measure to hire employees for certain hard-to-fill sectors.

More info: www.LeMassif.com

Images of proposed Campus Ryan accommodations.