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July 22, 2020FOOD SERVICES AND DRINKING PLACES, MAY 2020 "In March, a sequence of unprecedented government interventions were put in place related to COVID-19, including the closure of non-essential businesses, travel restrictions, and public health measures directing Canadians to limit public interactions. During this time, all provinces restricted access and implemented closures to businesses in the restaurant industry, which continued for the entire month of April and into subsequent months.
Based on respondent feedback, 42% of food service and drinking place operators reported being closed at some point in May, compared with 56% in April. Also, 22% reported being closed for the entire month of May, compared with 41% being closed for the entire month of April." Statistics Canada
Month over month
In May 2020, Statistics Canada on a month-over-month basis, reported that food services and drinking places receipts (seasonally adjusted) in Nova Scotia increased 34.6 per cent to $76.3 million over April 2020. Food services and drinking places receipts (seasonally adjusted) in Canada increased 35.3 per cent to $3.1 billion over April 2020.
All provinces reported monthly increases in food services and drinking places, with Quebec (45.4%) reporting the largest gain, and Prince Edward Island (24.9%) reporting the smallest gain in percentage terms.
Year-over-Year
In May 2020, on a year-over-year basis, food services and drinking places receipts (seasonally adjusted) in Nova Scotia decreased 47.8 per cent over May 2019. Food services and drinking places receipts (seasonally adjusted) in Canada decreased 49.8 per cent over May 2019.
All provinces reported year-over-year decreases in food services and drinking place receipts, with New Brunswick (-33.2%) reporting the smallest decline and Quebec (-56.4%) reporting the largest decline in percentage terms.
Long-run Trend
Although Nova Scotia’s food service and drinking place receipts exhibit somewhat more volatile growth from one month to the next, the provincial trend was in line with national growth up to 2017. Throughout 2018 and early 2019 Canada's growth in food services and drinking place receipts has been faster than growth in Nova Scotia. In the spring and summer of 2019, Nova Scotia’s food service and drinking place receipts started to catch up with national growth, peaking in September. Through the fall and winter, Nova Scotia's food services and drinking place receipts have slowed. With COVID-19, the bottom dropped out from both Canada and Nova Scotia markets. In May 2020, all provinces and Canada have returned to positive increases in monthly receipts.
Nova Scotia Year-over-year Sales by Establishment Type
In Nova Scotia (May 2020 vs May 2019), Food service and drinking place establishments include:
- Limited-service eating places, accounting for 76.5% of total food services and drinking places receipts , decreased 25.1 per cent ($19.8 million) over May 2020 vs May 2019 to $59 million.
- Full-service restaurants (18.6% of total Food services and drinking places receipts) decreased 75.3 per cent ($43.7 million) to $14 million.
- Special food services (4.6% of total Food services and drinking places receipts) decreased 49.6 per cent ($3.5 million) to $4 million.
- Data for drinking places was reported by Statistics Canada as too unreliable to publish.
In Canada (May 2020 vs May 2019), "sales at drinking places saw the largest rebound in percentage terms (+155.6%), even though many nightclubs and bars continued to be closed throughout the month. Most (85%) drinking places were closed at some point in May compared with 89% in April. Some reopened throughout the month so that 59% were closed for the entire month of May compared with 79% in April. Sales at drinking places fell by the highest proportion, as nightclubs and bars were closed and many do not have take-away food options." Statistics Canada
During the COVID-19 pandemic, comparisons of year-to-date averages and sums do not show Nova Scotia’s rapidly-changing economic situation. The DailyStats will focus on year-over-year comparisons, comparing one month with the same month in the prior year. Where possible the DailyStats will make comparisons of seasonally adjusted data from the pre-COVID-19 period (January and February 2020) with the period during which COVID-19 measures were in place from March 2020 onwards.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 21-10-0019-01 Monthly survey of food services and drinking places (x 1,000)
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