WINDSOR, ONT. -- Over the next couple of weeks, approximately 1,300 migrant workers were expected to arrive in the Leamington area and about 13,000 in Ontario, says Dave Epp, Chatham-Kent Leamington MP.
As Canada closed its borders to everyone except citizens, permanent residents, U.S. citizens and essential services earlier this week, farmers are asking the government to exempt foreign workers from the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
“The one thing about agriculture and Mother Nature is that we can’t hit the pause button,” says Epp. “If we don’t get the crops planted and seeded or if there isn’t a surety of labour supply for our processors, we lose an entire season.”
Through these two programs, international workers filled 59,500 job vacancies on Canadian farms in 2017. Lost revenues we’re limited to $2.9 billion, which may have been 4.5 times worse, according a recent report done by CAHRC.
Nature Fresh Farms in Leamington, hires approximately 600 migrant workers each year from predominately the Caribbean region. With the recent travel restrictions, it’s currently in need of 150 more workers.
“If the work doesn’t get done, you not only don’t have a crop this year, it’s very interesting what will happen next year as well,” says CEO Pete Quiring.
He says demands have doubled this year given the situation surrounding COVID-19.
With the migrant work status up in the air, he’s reaching to the community for help, asking for local workers to apply on the NatureFresh Farms site.
“With the pandemic right now, with all the people out of work, reach out if you’re willing to do the work,” says Epp.
However, Quiring says this isn’t the most viable option given the training needed for most positions.
“It’s a whole different kind of work for most people,” says Quiring. “If this only lasts a few weeks, they wouldn’t be even properly trained by the time they would go back to their regular job. So this will be disruptive no matter what.”
Currently the border is open to U.S. workers, but farmers say this isn’t enough and want clarity on the situation as soon as possible.
“Businesses cannot wait. Unfortunately they need to make decisions now as far as the upcoming season because the labour shortage is already being felt,” says Epp.
“We’re in uncharted waters here,” says Phillip Shaw, farmer and agricultural economist. “They (the government) have the double responsibility of maintaining the economy to run smoothly and at the same time protecting Canadians from COVID-19. That’s a very difficult choice to make.”
