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CALGARY — Tim Hortons says it plans to hire 10,000 local workers across Canada while reducing its reliance on the Temporary Foreign Worker program, marking a major shift for the restaurant chain as youth unemployment rises and competition in the coffee market intensifies.
The company says the hiring campaign is already underway through hundreds of recruitment events held this spring and will continue throughout the year as the chain expands operations nationally.
The announcement comes as Tim Hortons prepares to open 80 new restaurants across Canada and renovate another 400 existing locations as part of a broader investment campaign led by franchise owners and parent company Restaurant Brands International.
Company officials say the push to hire locally reflects changing labour conditions across the country compared with the severe staffing shortages experienced following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tim Hortons had previously lobbied Ottawa to expand access to the Temporary Foreign Worker program during the labour crunch, arguing restaurants were struggling to fill positions.
The company now says expanded access to the program is no longer necessary given elevated youth unemployment levels nationally and a softer labour market overall.
Statistics Canada reported youth unemployment climbed above 14 per cent in April, more than double the national unemployment rate.
Tim Hortons says roughly 4,000 of its approximately 110,000 restaurant employees currently work under the Temporary Foreign Worker program, representing about 3.6 per cent of restaurant positions.
The company says use of the program has steadily declined since 2024.
The move follows years of criticism from some politicians and labour advocates who argued large restaurant chains were relying too heavily on temporary foreign labour for entry-level positions traditionally filled by young Canadians.
At the same time, economists caution the hiring campaign alone is unlikely to significantly reduce youth unemployment nationwide given the scale of the problem facing younger workers entering the labour force.
The hiring announcement also arrives as U.S.-based coffee and doughnut chain Dunkin’ prepares to re-enter the Canadian market through a partnership with Montreal-based Foodtastic.
Industry observers say the timing of Tim Hortons’ expansion plans, restaurant renovations and local hiring push reflects growing competition in Canada’s coffee and quick-service restaurant sector.
Tim Hortons maintains its long-term investment strategy was already underway before Dunkin’s return was announced, noting restaurant expansion projects typically take years of planning involving leases, permits and construction.
Still, business analysts say Tim Hortons’ emphasis on local hiring and Canadian community investment may help reinforce the brand’s identity as competition increases.
The company says local franchise owners remain committed to hiring within the communities where restaurants operate whenever possible.
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