A program that started in Essex and Kent counties is expanding to Sarnia and Lambton to provide and health and social services to migrant workers, many of them on farms and in greenhouses.
The North Lambton Community Health Centre will officially launch a program late this month using $240,000 provided by Employment and Social Services Canada.
The TeaMWork Project is under the Migrant Worker Support Program and connects workers with information to access services and supports within the community.
“So we’re hoping to do that by fostering inclusion of migrant workers through social, cultural, educational, and recreational events and provide assistance in accessing services available to support health and wellbeing,” said NLCHC executive director Kathy Bresett.
“We’ve been able to hire two workers, one is a navigator and one is project coordinator, who will help do most of the work and also there are resources to support some of the activities,” she said.
Bresett said there are approximately 700 migrant workers in Sarnia-Lambton, many of whom stay for a two-year period without visiting back home during that time. So there is a need to connect migrant workers with social and physical health partners in the community.
“The health and safety of temporary foreign workers is critical. We’re proud to support the work of organizations like Workforce Windsor-Essex and the North Lambton Community Health Centre,” said Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough.
“They empower migrant workers, ensuring they know their rights while working in Canada.”
