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".
As the changes are rolled out, B.C. pharmacists said the smoothness of the transition will depend on the reimbursement model, staffing supports and whether there's an added administrative burden. Like many health professionals, pharmacists have faced burnout and labour shortages since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Of the confirmed cases, 674 are from Ontario, 521 from Quebec, 162 from British Columbia, 41 from Alberta, three from Saskatchewan, two from the Yukon and one each from Nova Scotia, Manitoba and New Brunswick, the health agency added on Wednesday.
Shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday frontline Richmond RCMP officers responded to the area of No. 1 Road and Tucker Avenue after reports of an 11-year old boy being struck. The boy was pushing his bicycle in a marked pedestrian crosswalk and struck by a gray minivan. This minivan then proceeded to sideswipe another vehicle before fleeing the scene.
Environment Canada says 11 daily maximum temperature records were set Wednesday across parts of Vancouver Island, the central coast, southern Interior and southeastern B.C. At 26.9 C, the Pemberton area broke a record that has stood since 1908.
The premier says the leaders expect to sign a memorandum agreement on climate approaches for the region. Horgan says B.C. and the U.S. West Coast states are facing similar climate-related issues, including wildfires, weather events and wild salmon declines, and the jurisdictions are looking for ways to work together.
On Tueaday a series of vehicle owners contacted the Port Moody Police Department reporting that their tires had been slashed overnight sometime between October 3 at 9 p.m. and October 4 at 9 a.m. These incidents occurred on View Street and Highview Place and are all believed to be connected.
