Royal Pets Price increases
As of January 1, 2018 Ontario’s minimum wage rose by just over 20% overnight. With the overnight increase we have had to readdress our entire pay structure and not just the minimum wage.
Here at Royal Pets Hotel, we have never maintained a minimum wage work force. In fact we have prided ourselves on not only providing a competitive local wage for our industry but indeed have been able to attract college educated Veterinary Technicans from Veterinary clinics With competitive wages and work conditions compared to the medical industry.
When we have had individuals who start on minimum wage, they have been unskilled and untrained employees who have required a lot of time and training gathering the experience needed to work within the Pet Care Industry. As those caregivers have learned and become fully contributing members of our team, their compensation has increased as well. A reality with our industry (just like with any other business), is that what an individual can earn is dictated by the fees paid by customers. Whilst we offer a premium service there is a limit to how premium a price you can command within any industry.
With a 20% increase overnight in the minimum wage, our experienced staff are suddenly receiving the same as their inexperienced counterparts and in the case of our experienced and college educated Veterinary technicians – the gap between them and those new individuals has closed greatly. Real estate only counts for so much – what makes us truly special are the hands and hearts ensuring your Pets well being while you are away. As such we don’t feel it’s fair that everyone suddenly earns the same wage for very different abilities. We have therefore adjusted our staff pay structures accordingly.
With increased wages across the board, increased CPP and EI contributions, the ESA increasing unverified paid time off for all employees regardless of length of service etc. We have had to increase both our boarding and activity rates accordingly.
Previous price increases focused on the previously increasing minmimum wage, over 340% increase in hydro costs, and all other increasing supply costs. The changes to small business taxes have made it impossible for small business owners to invest anymore of their retirement funds, savings etc into their incorporated businesses. As such all maintenance, renovations and expansions will need to be wholly funded by incoming revenue. We apologize for the rapid increase in our daily rates but stress this is beyond our control. Royal Pets Hotel is a passion driven business and not a profit driven enterprise. Profit is not included in our calculations, only covering existing costs and direct investment in maintaining the services and facilities we provide.
The following is an article under construction;
How do Royal Pets Prices compare to other local facilities.
Royal Pets prices are very competitive with all our provincial counterparts. We have often been equally astounded by prices at both ends of the spectrum.
At the one end of the spectrum you have those that charge too little to actually do what they say they do ! Knowing what it takes to offer boarding services in facilities with individual areas (kennels and full hotels), we are suspect when facilities offer their services at rock bottom prices. Think of what an hour of wages cost (current minimum wage costs an employer $16.76/hr to deliver minimum wage of $14) and look at the daily rate. Remember the hourly rate isn’t just for your pets care – training, hiring, cleaning, buildings cost and maintenance, land, taxes, office, bookkeepin, marketing, staff time to do everything else beyond caring for your pet…………etc are all being paid for out of your daily rate. If they then describe playtimes/walks and don’t allow separate toileting – then they are not receiving playtimes – they are getting toileting. Everyone has to allow for toileting – if it isn’t being itemized separately then it isn’t being done separately.
At the other end of the spectrum, alternative styles of pet care charge a disproportionate amount for what they do. Group facilities where dogs are in very large groups with minimal staffing, in rustic conditions have minimal overheads by comparison but charge a premium fee.
at Royal Pets we are designed to be able to maintain and clean guest rooms with a minimum of staff hours lost to chores. (each room plumbed and self contained – no communal drains or gutters (peeyew)).
we have 7 large playyards
-allowing for division of guests for individual play and smaller group play – increased safety smaller ratios of dogs to staff. No need to mix smaller dogs with big dogs or aggressive players with mellow fellows.
– easier to deliver frequent individual toileting opportunities – very difficult for dogs to do their business when in a group occupying a smaller space – 20-30 minutes not long enough for everyone to get past introductions and excuse themselves for visiting the loo.
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