Rural Ontario’s employment levels are almost back to year ago level – almost making up the unemployment created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rural Ontario Institute (ROI) reports that Ontario unemployment is 0.6 per cent below levels in August 2019, according to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey. Why it matters: Rising employment is critical to […] Read more
Tag Archives employment — page 2
Ontario rural employment almost back to pre-COVID levels
Rural employment in other provinces hasn’t been as strong as it has in Ontario
Survey shows more positive view of gender equality in agriculture
More women taking leadership roles in agriculture industry, but some say barriers still exist
Glacier FarmMedia – Agriculture continues to make strides as an equal-opportunity employer, according to a human resources expert. A recent survey about the current state of gender roles and equality in agribusiness in Canada and the United States identified barriers that continue to exist to equality and advancement within the industry. Why it matters: Equal […] Read more
Agricultural Youth Council members introduced
Jobs for next generation also come online
Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has named the 25 young people chosen to sit on the inaugural Canadian Agricultural Youth Council. Members of the council (see list below) are expected to offer suggestions on government priorities and identify problems and solutions for Bibeau. “That was quite a challenge actually, because we received over 800 candidates,” Bibeau […] Read more
Alberta, Ontario open online portals for domestic ag work
Canadian senators call for support for domestic ag workers
The Alberta and Ontario governments hope to set up “land armies” of available domestic workers to deploy on their provinces’ farms, in the event that seasonal and temporary foreign workers are unavailable. Both provinces this week announced they have set up online portals where residents can connect with farmers in need of workers. Such jobs […] Read more
Producer pitches journeyman farmer idea
Could farm workers be certified like electricians or plumbers?
Glacier FarmMedia – It seems appropriate to have a “light bulb” moment while talking to an electrician. That’s exactly what happened to Kristjan Hebert last summer when a couple of electricians were working at his farm near Moosomin, Sask. Hebert was quizzing the electricians about their profession and what it’s like being a journeyman electrician. […] Read more
Finding and keeping farm employees
Informative job description and positive workplace are key contributors
Farmers across Ontario are struggling to find and keep good help. Marlene Paibomesai, a dairy specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Mark Ferguson, business management specialist with OMAFRA presented tips on attracting and keeping great employees at the 2020 SouthWest Agriculture Conference held in Ridgetown recently. Why it matters: […] Read more
Comment: Agriculture needs more people and investment
Technology has always been a driving force behind productivity growth in Canadian agriculture, and the trends of mechanization and increasing farm scale have typically been associated with a need for fewer people. The threshing crews making the rounds a century ago harvesting the annual crop were replaced by tractors and threshing machines. Herbicides reduced the […] Read more
Farm workers increasingly in short supply
Surveys found that 70 per cent of the agriculture sector is challenged to find staff it needs
Agriculture employers know hiring, training and retaining workers is an ongoing challenge. Jobless rates are going down and that increases the staffing problem. Surveys from AgCareers show more than 70 per cent of the sector struggles to find suitable staff. Why it matters: Farms need a flexible supply of workers in order to remain competitive […] Read more
Attention to details helps foreign worker application process
Producers must be aware of the myriad regulations they must comply with to be eligible to seek foreign labour
Three small-group meetings are planned in November for pork producers in southwestern Ontario to learn about applying to hire staff under the federally regulated Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Why it matters: Recruiting and maintaining good-quality staff has been an ongoing challenge in the hog sector. The TFWP is commonly used to help meet this […] Read more
Animal welfare studies lead to ag careers
Students find there are good jobs to be had because of their studies of animal welfare
The growing interest in animal welfare is providing opportunities for students studying animal behaviour and management. The most recent edition of the annual Research Symposium of the Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare (CCSAW) provided strong evidence there are now post-university career opportunities for those interested in the topic. Why it matters: With […] Read more
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