Canada needs 30,000 new immigrants in agri sector: Report
Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 Apr, 2023 02:09 PM
Toronto, April 19 (IANS) Canada needs 30,000 permanent immigrants over the next decade to either start up their own farms, or take over existing ones, to address a looming labour crisis in the agriculture industry, says a new study.
According to a Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) research, 40 per cent of Canadian farm operators will retire by 2033, placing agriculture on the cusp of one of the biggest labour and leadership transitions in the country's history.
Over the same period, a shortfall of 24,000 general farm, nursery and greenhouse workers is expected to emerge, and in 10 years, 60 per cent of today's farm operators will be over the age of 65, that is, close to retirement.
Amidst all this, 66 per cent of producers do not have a succession plan in place, leaving the future of farmland in doubt, the study said.
Canada's agricultural sector is among the most diverse in the world though the degree of demand for foreign workers differs significantly by province and operation.
When it comes to more highly-skilled farm operators, Canada has always welcomed them from India, the Netherlands, China, the US and the UK.
However, in case of immigration of low-skilled labourers, better policies are needed because the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) program, which remains a critical source of low-skilled labour, is just a provisional solution to a chronic issue, the study said.
Many of these TFWs who develop skills essential to seeding and harvests, must return to their home countries for short periods, and if they are unable to return to Canada, the country's on-farm workforce is dramatically reduced.
RBC researchers said that a pathway to permanent residency for experienced TFWs will immediately address this type of shortage.
Canada had started an agriculture-specific immigration pilot programme in 2020 to give a path to permanent residency for non-seasonal workers with experience, which is set to end in May 2023, a CBC News report said.
As of February 2023, more than 1,500 people have been admitted through the program in Ottawa province.
A department spokesperson told CBC that they are assessing the pilot programme "and the possible extension beyond its scheduled expiry".
The spokesperson added that giving migrants permanent residence "is not the solution to labour shortages".
Premier David Eby told a news conference Monday that the province will also spend $1.3 million to set up a new pathway for internationally trained nurses and assess applications faster. Candidates are waiting up to three years now, but he said the government's goal is to cut that wait down to between four and nine months.
Police say all three are believed to be members of same family and no one else was found on the property. No details of the ages or genders of the deceased have been released.
According to the victim, a black Hyundai sedan was driving closely behind him through the Massey Tunnel and both vehicles exited Hwy 99 on the Steveston Hwy off-ramp. The victim stated at this point, both he and the other driver stopped and exited their vehicles, which is when the driver of the Hyundai allegedly sprayed the victim with bear spray.
Satbir Singh Cheema’s contributions to his community have not gone unnoticed. He has led many initiatives to identify service gaps in the community to be able to advance the mission of PICS. Under his leaderships and guidance PICS Society has expanded their services in many areas and locations, reaching and helping thousands of people.
Thousands of Canadians had their flights cancelled or delayed due to poor weather, while hundreds of others were left stranded in Mexico after the vacation airline Sunwing axed their trips home. The company has since apologized and said the cancellations were due to winter storms that swept across the country before Christmas Day.
It says after a lengthy investigation by the department's major crime unit, three charges each of sexual assault and sexual interference have been laid against Pastor Edwin Alvarez. Police haven't released which Christian church the pastor was caring for, other than to say it was at a small, Metro Vancouver location.
