Shocking Study Reveals Indigenous Workers Face Worst Hiring Discrimination in Canada's Restaurant Industry

A groundbreaking study from McMaster University has uncovered systemic discrimination against Indigenous workers in Canada's food services industry, even when they have the same qualifications as other applicants.

Researchers submitted fictitious résumés representing different racial backgrounds to hundreds of front-of-house restaurant jobs in Ontario and Saskatchewan. The results were alarming: Indigenous applicants received callbacks only 9.9% of the time, compared to 11.9% for non-Indigenous applicants. In Saskatchewan, the gap widened to 8.1% versus 13.2%.

Interviews with hiring managers revealed deeply entrenched biases. One Toronto hiring manager described a "tent city" as "90% Indigenous, all they do is drink alcohol and smoke crack cocaine," stating he would not hire Indigenous people. A Saskatchewan restaurant worker noted that Indigenous servers were gradually replaced by white staff.

The study, set to be published in the journal Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, found that education and experience alone cannot overcome systemic bias. Despite the industry's reliance on foreign workers and perennial labour shortages, Indigenous employment in food services grew only 6% since 2020, compared to 16% for non-Indigenous workers.

Overall, Indigenous unemployment in Canada stands at 10.2%, versus 6.8% for non-Indigenous people. The researchers conclude that marginalized groups "simply cannot educate their way out of poverty and underemployment when such obstacles persist."