Foreign seasonal workers, expected in large numbers this spring, will finally be able to enter the country, even though the federal government has ordered the borders closed for all travelers.
Public Safety Minister Bill Blair announced Wednesday in Ottawa that "international students, visa workers and temporary foreign workers will also be able to enter Canada, provided they meet the government's request to isolate yourself for 14 days (sic) ".
The Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) said it was relieved to learn of this decision. "The Canadian government has made the right decision," said UPA President Marcel Groleau in a press release. Preventing the arrival of these workers would have had disastrous consequences on the agricultural sector, especially the horticultural sector (fruit, vegetables, etc.), but especially on the cost of the basket of groceries for Canadians. "
For the moment, however, it is impossible to know what rules will govern the arrival of this foreign workforce, particularly for quarantine. In total this year, 16,000 foreign workers are expected on Quebec farms, according to the recruiting foreign agricultural labor recruiting companies Foundation (FERME). Each year in the province, the number of farm workers from elsewhere increases by 10%. Most are from Mexico and Guatemala.
When the border closure was announced, several concerned producers feared that they would not be able to harvest if seasonal workers, who work in the fields each year, could no longer enter the country. The UPA even sent a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau on Tuesday to express his concerns.
Source: La Presse
