Thursday, May 23, 2024

Fruit, veggie growers embrace worker report

Ontario’s fruit and vegetable growers are welcoming the senate report on temporary foreign workers, despite its outspoken criticism about how the workers are treated.


One of the key recommendations of the committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology is that a new commission ought to be established as a one-stop place to deal with issues related to temporary foreign workers, cutting through the maze of different federal and provincial government departments with policies related to the program.

“The proposed commission with centralized services is in line with what fruit and vegetable growers have long been asking for – the creation of a one-stop shop for more efficient delivery of TFW  (temporary foreign worker) services for both employers and workers,” said Bill George, chairman of the Labour Committee at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association

“Mistreatment of workers is unacceptable and as an industry, we have long been committed to the continuous improvement of Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs to ensure all workers have the opportunity for a positive, safe work experience while in Canada,” he said.