Landscaping companies in Manitoba, Canada are hiking their rates to deal with a labor shortage and increased demand for their services.
The large number of new houses being built in the Winnipeg area has led to an unprecedented demand for landscaping services – but companies in the business say they can't find people to do the work.
"We try to train new employees, which takes a long time. We are constantly at the job bank, trying to find people, but there are no takers right now," said Bo Wohlers, owner of Shelmerdine's Landscaping.
"All other industries are very, very busy. Construction is busy, plus we're losing a lot of people in Manitoba to other provinces, such as Alberta and British Columbia."
Wohlers says customers should expect to pay 20 to 30 percent more than last year's rates.
Two years after he built his house, Chris Chornick is still waiting for a landscaping company to install a play area, fire pit, small waterfall and the lawn.
"Sometimes it take two or three phone calls just for them to call back," he said. "I never thought we would have to plan a year ahead to get people in, but we've had to."
Work on Chornick's yard will begin next month, but only because he booked it last year.