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The Okotoks-based company recently brought back about 20 per cent of 1,000 employees who were temporarily laid off earlier this year. Mullen expects more people will be called back as demand picks up.
“By the end of the third quarter, I hope I’m up to 50 or 70 per cent — and then maybe 90 per cent or thereabouts in 2021,” he said.
“But I don’t know if we will bring everybody back. I have to be blunt about it. I just don’t know. There are a lot of unknowns in the world today.”
Holden thinks some of the broader business concern is rooted in the uncertainty around the public health situation and whether there will be a second wave of COVID-19.
“It’s going to be hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles. And with that in mind, nobody is expecting us to snap back to January or February levels of economic activity,” he added.
“It is a long road to recovery, especially on returning to normal levels of employment.”
Chris Varcoe is a Calgary Herald columnist.
