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Farm wages, benefits have room to improve, survey says

Agriculture wages lag behind fields like construction, manufacturing, transport; jobs may lack basic benefits

"While some agriculture employers offered these benefits, many participating organizations do not offer any flexible work arrangements or basic benefits like sick days," CAHRC wrote in a report on its 2024 survey of compensation practices in Canadian agriculture.

The money will be aimed at improving living quarters for temporary foreign workers, the federal government said.  Photo: Getty Images

Agriculture workers not mentioned in TFW rule changes

Food processing sees foreign worker limit reduced by ten per cent; construction, healthcare exempted

The federal government announced Thursday that, effective May 1, some sectors would be allowed no more than 20 per cent of their workforces to be made up of temporary foreign workers (TWFs) brought in via the low wage stream—down from 30 per cent since 2022. 



“Our goal is to increase the labour and talent pipeline to our agri-food sector.” – Akosua Alagaratnam.

Employment program aims to fill agri-food sector labour gap

Ontario’s First Work organization focuses on connecting young workers with potential employers

The First Work organization has a mission to expand Ontario’s agri-food workforce and fill the current labour gap, and for the first time, it is focusing on farm, agriculture and agri-food employment opportunities. First Work connects young job seekers with more than 100 community-based employment agencies across Ontario. The organization works as a conduit to […] Read more

Courtney Davis of Jamaica has applied for his permanent residency with the help of Amanda and Hayden Dooney, owners of Suncrest Orchards in Norfolk County, where Davis works year-round.

Foreign agriculture workers key to Norfolk County orchard’s success

By valuing and providing for their workers, the Dooneys realized their dream

Courtney Davis picks apples in Canada, but he established his agricultural roots in Jamaica.  His family has grown tomatoes, pumpkins, sweet peppers, yams and bananas on their land for generations, but farms in Jamaica are not as big as the one he works on in Norfolk County.  Davis recently shared his experience as an international […] Read more

File photo of an Ontario cherry orchard. (UpdogDesigns/iStock/Getty Images)

Ontario to extend labour-related crop loss coverage

Losses due to COVID-19-related labour disruptions covered

A temporary crop insurance expansion that covers Ontario farms against crop losses due to “on-farm labour disruptions” caused by COVID-19 will be held over for yet another year. Agricorp, the province’s farm program delivery agency, announced in late December the feature first introduced in 2020 will be included again in 2022, at the same coverage […] Read more


(Sollio Co-operative Group video screengrab via YouTube)

Resource-rich Canada grapples with key labour issues

From agriculture to the oilpatch, lack of labour is driving up wages

Canada’s economic recovery from the pandemic is being hampered by labour shortages across industries ranging from energy to aviation to agriculture, forcing companies to consider multiple salary hikes and offer other perks. Statistics Canada data Nov. 5 showed the national unemployment rate hit a 20-month low in October. The shortage of skilled and unskilled workers […] Read more

The Food Processing Skills Canada report quantifies the financial impact of unfilled jobs in the industry, which has been a chronic situation that began prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Food processor survey highlights labour challenges

Sector must promote opportunities to job-seekers

A 2021 report from Food Processing Skills Canada (FPSC) pinpoints labour availability as the “the most critical business challenge” for the food processing sector and it has issued a call to action. Its recent survey report, entitled “Crossroads to Greatness: key insights and labour market research about Canada’s food and beverage manufacturing industry,” identified the […] Read more