Temporary foreign workers from Guatemala weed an eggplant field at Ferme Chez Mario in Sainte-Madeleine, Que., on July 4.Graham Hughes/The Globe and Mail
Robert Black is a Canadian senator representing Ontario with ties to and interests in agriculture.
Keith Currie is the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). The CFA is a farmer-funded, national umbrella organization comprising of provincial general farm organizations and national and interprovincial commodity groups.
There has been a lot of talk lately about the temporary foreign worker (TFW) program, painting the program in a negative light and culminating in the recent commitment by federal Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault to tighten access to the program and reduce the number of TFWs in Canada.
But what was also clear in the minister’s announcement was the government’s recognition of the important role that the program plays in supporting Canadian agriculture and domestic food security. By exempting seasonal and permanent, full-time jobs in primary agriculture, food processing and fish processing from the tightening measures linked to the TFW program, agricultural employers will continue to hire the people we need to grow, harvest and pack produce that would otherwise risk being left in the field or nursery, on the tree, or on the vine.
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The federal government is in the midst of a broad-based consultation aimed at renewing the agriculture streams linked to the TFW program. These consultations are an opportunity to refine the program; address the concerns that have been raised; and ensure that it continues to serve the best interests of Canadians, food security and the workers who remain integral to its success.
We need to create a more permanent fix to Canada’s chronic labour shortages across the entire agriculture sector by ensuring the agriculture streams are maintained to support farmers’ seasonal and temporary needs, while at the same time ensuring the TFW program supports pathways to permanent residency for experienced temporary foreign workers in sectors such as agriculture that demonstrate chronic labour shortages.
While some may question why agriculture deserves unique treatment, Canadian farmers continue to prioritize hiring Canadians wherever possible. Even though approximately 70,000 TFWs worked in primary agriculture industries in Canada in 2022 and 2023, there were still 28,200 agriculture jobs in 2022 that could not be filled by Canadians, a number that is projected to grow to more than 100,000 vacant jobs by 2030 without the use of temporary foreign workers, according to a study conducted by the Conference Board of Canada for the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council.
The COVID-19 pandemic has provided a stark reminder that without the TFW program, Canada’s ability to produce food and agricultural products would be severely compromised. When borders were closed and the flow of TFWs was disrupted, the agricultural sector faced unprecedented challenges. Despite offering wages up to $30 an hour at a time where many Canadians suddenly found themselves without work, farmers could not find Canadians willing to take agricultural jobs that are often located in remote rural areas, seasonal in nature and that can be quite labour-intensive.
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Instances of worker abuse do occur, but they are rare. The Canadian government conducted 2,122 inspections under the TFW program in the last fiscal year. Of those inspections, 94 per cent of employers were found to be fully compliant. Historically, agriculture has been one of the best-performing sectors when it comes to compliance. Farmers take this very seriously and would be the first to say that any bad actors found to be taking advantage of their employees should be removed from the program.
While many Canadians only hear about the negative stories within the program, the reality is that most farmers have long-standing, positive relationships with TFWs. These employees choose to come back to those farms every year, often for decades.
We must all remember that the TFW program is not just about filling labour gaps; it’s about sustaining an industry that feeds our country, and contributes billions to our economy. Any changes to the program must be carefully considered with these broader considerations in mind. Worker protections are paramount to a sustainable and effective TFW program.
We need to stay focused on supporting the workers who are so essential to our farms and ensuring that Canadian agriculture remains strong and resilient. The future of our agriculture sector and our food security depends on it.