They have been an key part of the Canadian workforce and food supply chain for decades. And now, area farmers are getting financial support from the federal government to ensure seasonal workers from outside Canada adhere to a 14-day isolation protocol upon their arrival.
The federal government had already granted an exemption for temporary foreign workers from travel restrictions to Canada as long as they adhered to the quarantine period.
Now, as announced on April 13 those who employ these seasonal workers will receive $1,500 per worker to ensure these requirements are met. It’s a boon for farmers in southwestern Ontario who rely heavily on these individuals from planting season through to harvest.
An estimated 50,000 to 60,000 foreign agricultural, food and fish processing workers travel to Canada to work each year.
