Ottawa said it will overhaul its temporary foreign worker program after coronavirus outbreaks on Ontario farms have sickened hundreds of people.
Canada’s employment minister said surprise inspections of working and living conditions on farms will immediately increase as incidents of coronavirus run through multiple farms. At least 17 Ontario farms have seen outbreaks of the disease. Two Mexican workers died after contracting the virus, prompting the Mexican government to demand that Canada put more stringent safety measures in place.
Migrant workers cited concerns at the farms where they work, including cramped, decrepit housing and being forced to work while awaiting COVID-19 test results, according to a report this month by the group "Migrant Workers Alliance for Change."
Canadian farmers rely on 60,000 temporary foreign workers, mainly from Latin America and the Caribbean, to plant and harvest crops. Another factor contributing to the outbreaks may be housing standards. In Ontario, they vary by municipality, while other provinces set uniform standards.
Also, some foreign workers do not report sickness because they may not get paid during self-isolation or because they don’t understand the health-care they are entitled to in Canada. Other temporary foreign workers may not follow physical distancing because of crowded accommodations.
