temporary foreign workers Archives | Page 5 of 6

Fruit and vegetable growers say that better procedures are needed for temporary workers who move from farm to farm.

OFVGA recommending on-farm COVID-19 testing

Farmer group concerned about temporary workers moving among farms

By Jennifer Glenney June 23, 2020

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) is recommending that all essential agri-food employees on Ontario farms get tested for COVID-19, as the virus continues to stubbornly spread on some farms. Testing workers on farm can help limit the spread of the disease, says the OFVGA. Why it matters: Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 on […] Read more

An image created by Nexu Science Communication, together with Trinity College in Dublin, shows a model structurally representative of a betacoronavirus, the type of virus linked to COVID-19. (Nexu Science Communication via Reuters)

COVID-19 cases, deaths lead Ontario to test migrant farm workers

By Allison Martell, Kelsey Johnson June 10, 2020

Toronto/Ottawa | Reuters — Ontario has started testing about 8,000 migrant farm workers for COVID-19 in a hard-hit rural region of the province after two young workers died and the coronavirus was found on at least 17 farms, according to the local public health authority. The Ontario outbreak has centred on farms in the Windsor-Essex […] Read more

Crops, Markets

Labour shortages persist, hort sector says

Horticultural Council warns sector output will drop for lack of workers, support

By D.C. Fraser May 23, 2020

Ottawa — The Canadian Horticultural Council warns the federal government is using inaccurate numbers to describe how many temporary foreign workers are currently in the country. During a virtual meeting of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food, CHC president Brian Gilroy said food security continues to be threatened as a result of labour […] Read more

A flat of young vegetable plant seedlings outside of a greenhouse, waiting to be transplanted, at a farm in rural New Brunswick

Markets

New Brunswick to lift ban on temporary foreign workers

Damage 'already been done' for farmers, NFU-NB says

By Dave Bedard May 23, 2020

New Brunswick plans to end its ban on the entry of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) next week as the province moves to the “yellow” level in its COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan. The ban, announced April 28, will end effective May 29, Premier Blaine Higgs said Friday in an announcement some farmers say comes too late […] Read more

File photo of cattle being rounded up at a southern Alberta ranch. (Design Pics/Getty Images)

Foreign workers starting to arrive, livestock group says

About 2,000 have recently arrived, several thousand more here soon, feeders say

By Alexis Kienlen April 15, 2020

About 2,000 foreign workers have arrived in Canada in recent weeks and more should be here soon, an official with the National Cattle Feeders Association says. “There are about 4,000 more that are expected to arrive shortly, so the process is starting to work,” Janice Tranberg, the association’s president and CEO, said during a telephone […] Read more

File photo of a small greenhouse operation in Quebec. (ManonAllard/E+/Getty Images)

Increased federal support for TFWs welcomed

By D.C. Fraser April 14, 2020

Ottawa — The Canadian Horticultural Council says Monday’s federal announcement offering $50 million to help cover the extra costs associated with importing foreign workers this year is welcomed support. “We are finding that there are a lot of increased costs this year with COVID-19 and bringing in the employees, so having the extra money will […] Read more

Federal government to backstop TFW isolation with funding

Employers backed to provide mandatory two-week isolation

By GFM Staff April 13, 2020

Farming and agrifood employers bringing temporary foreign workers (TFWs) to Canada will get per-worker support to make sure those employees can self-isolate for 14 days on arrival. Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Monday announced up to $50 million for such employers to put such measures in place. As part of its response to the COVID-19 […] Read more

File photo of a quality control check on fresh peppers in a Canadian vegetable packing plant. (Jeffbergen/E+Getty Images)

Alberta, Ontario open online portals for domestic ag work

Canadian senators call for support for domestic ag workers

By GFM Staff April 10, 2020

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

File photo of Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau speaking in Winnipeg in February 2020. (Dave Bedard photo)

Markets

Plans in development to get temp foreign workers into Canada

Maximum stay for 'low-wage' stream workers extended to two years

By GFM Staff March 21, 2020

Canada now plans to seek authorizations for flights to get foreign temporary and seasonal farm workers into the country, Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said Saturday. The federal government said this week that temporary foreign workers (TFWs) and workers coming to Canada under the Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program (SAWP) will be exempt from the current federal […] Read more

Temporary foreign workers to be allowed in, Canada reiterates

By Kelsey Johnson March 20, 2020

Ottawa | Reuters — Canada will allow temporary foreign workers with valid visas to enter the country, officials said on Friday, offering possible salvation to the agriculture industry even as Ottawa moves to limit the spread of a coronavirus outbreak. Canada’s labour-strapped farms rely heavily on nearly 60,000 temporary foreign workers (TFWs) to help plant […] Read more

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