(Twitter/@mclaudebibeau)

By Alice McFarlane

Temporary Foreign Workers

Foreign workers will be allowed in Canada under strict guidelines

Mar 23, 2020 | 11:00 AM

The federal government has relaxed travel restrictions on temporary foreign workers entering Canada.

In a teleconference on Saturday, Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau said farmers need these workers in the field and in food processing facilities. She said the next step is to collaborate with the countries where the workers come from.

“To ensure the permission to fly on planes that will be chartered by industry and paid by the employers who will get them,” Bibeau said. “In the meantime, along with sector representatives and our colleagues in the province’s, we will finalize the protocols for supervised isolation.”

The majority of the 60,000 TFW’s come from Mexico, Guatamala and Jamaica. It will be up to the employer to transport the TFW’s from the airport to the farm. Bibeau said appropriate housing and distancing will be required during the mandatory 14-day isolation period.

“We are working with the industry right now and with our health colleagues to finalize the terms of this isolation protocol,” she said.

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Bibeau said every employer will be responsible for following strict guidelines.

“For enforcing an isolation protocol of 14 days and if they don’t, they would forfeit the right to hire foreign workers for the coming years,” she said. “In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to reassure everyone that we are taking all the measures necessary to protect your health while also ensuring that you have access to fresh fruits and vegetables and high quality food products.”

Bibeau expressed gratitude to the entire value chain for keeping food on grocery store shelves.

“During these difficult times I want to sincerely thank the workers in the agriculture and agri-food sectors, the men and women who farm our land, the folks who work in food processing plants, grocery store owners and their employees, truck drivers, volunteers working in food banks and food delivery services and everyone who, despite the concern, goes to work every day so the rest of us can have food to eat,” she said. “They are nothing short of heroes and during these times we see how essential they are to our country.

Bibeau said there will always be jobs available for Canadians who want to work in our food sector.

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alice.mcfarlane@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@AliceMcF