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Tag Archives labour shortage

Food and beverage sector sees softening demand for workers
Job vacancies in food and beverage manufacturing fell to 2019 levels this year, but softening demand for workers isn’t necessarily a positive sign says Farm Credit Canada.

Meat industry calls on federal gov to ease foreign worker limits
Meat industry groups are asking the federal government to reinstate a program that expanded industry hiring limits for temporary foreign workers (TFWs) and lengthened the validity of paperwork needed for hiring, citing work shortages and impact on food prices.

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.

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.

Veterinary association calls on federal government to address workforce shortage
National testing centre is needed to onboard internationally-trained vets, CVMA says
An organization representing Canadian veterinarians is calling for the federal government to intervene as it faces what it calls a severe workforce shortage.

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

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

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

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

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