Close X
Tuesday, November 19, 2024
ADVT 
National

B.C. to end quarantine program for foreign workers

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 30 Mar, 2022 12:02 PM
  • B.C. to end quarantine program for foreign workers

VICTORIA - The British Columbia Agriculture Ministry says it is ending the COVID-19 quarantine program for temporary foreign workers but will keep a different program for another year to support self-isolation to curb the spread of the virus.

The ministry says the program for seasonal agriculture workers ends Thursday because of the easing of federal travel restrictions and high vaccination rates for incoming workers that allows them to go directly to their farms.

A statement says the employer must ensure federal quarantine requirements are met for unvaccinated or partially vaccinated workers.

Federal-provincial support for the self-isolation of temporary foreign workers will still be available until next March through a program that pays a maximum of $3,000 per employee, based on all the costs linked to a 14-day isolation period.

The ministry says its $47-million quarantine program protected B.C.'s food security during the pandemic by ensuring farms had access to the labour they needed and local food continued to be grown and harvested.

More than 15,000 temporary foreign workers went through the program and the ministry says 233 were diagnosed with COVID-19 while in quarantine.

"This shows the important role the program played in preventing workers with symptoms from travelling to farms and communities or causing larger outbreaks, as well as preventing associated economic losses and interruptions to the B.C. food supply," the statement says.

MORE National ARTICLES

553 COVID19 cases for Wednesday

553 COVID19 cases for Wednesday
82.8% (3,837,946) of eligible people 12 and older in B.C. have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and 73.8% (3,419,832) received their second dose.

553 COVID19 cases for Wednesday

Election focus shifts to high inflation

Election focus shifts to high inflation
 The country's headline inflation barometer clocked in at 3.7 per cent in July, which Statistics Canada said was the highest year-over-year increase since May 2011 as price growth accelerated from June.

Election focus shifts to high inflation

General who led vaccine campaign charged

General who led vaccine campaign charged
The senior military officer, who has previously served in Afghanistan and Iraq, described the past three months as the most challenging period of his 36 years in uniform.

General who led vaccine campaign charged

Meng's legal team gives alternative narrative: AG

Meng's legal team gives alternative narrative: AG
Meng's defence team has argued there was no risk to HSBC and the bank was entirely responsible for its own decision to clear a financial transaction through the United States, putting it at risk of violating American sanctions.

Meng's legal team gives alternative narrative: AG

Rail companies sued in Lytton, B.C., wildfire

Rail companies sued in Lytton, B.C., wildfire
The B.C. Supreme Court statement of claim alleges the fire was set off by heat or sparks emanating from a CP freight train operated by CN employees on tracks owned by CN.

Rail companies sued in Lytton, B.C., wildfire

New 8 lane tunnel to replace George Massey Tunnel by 2030

New 8 lane tunnel to replace George Massey Tunnel by 2030
A new eight-lane immersed-tube tunnel will replace the George Massey Tunnel on Highway 99, providing people a toll-free crossing that aligns with regional interests and improves transit, cycling and walking connections across the Fraser River.

New 8 lane tunnel to replace George Massey Tunnel by 2030