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 says economists are predicating a "global slowdown and potentially recession" and his government is focused on keeping the economy strong by building trade relationships and supporting businesses.
Association chief economist Brendon Ogmundson blames expected sluggish sales this year on a slowing economy and ongoing, elevated mortgage rates. The forecast predicts residential sales in B-C will skid 7.1 per cent this year before surging nearly 24 per cent in 2024.
The survivor has life-threatening injuries, but police say the public is not believed to be at risk. IHIT is trying to determine if the tripped alarm and triggered sprinklers could be linked to the case.
IHIT investigators have identified the victim as a 17-year old man, who lived in the complex in which the shooting took place. At approximately 9:15 a.m. a White Nissan Rogue was reported to have been set on fire in the area of 173 Street and 101 Avenue in Surrey.
On Wednesday, Surrey RCMP received a report that a man was masturbating in the pathway behind a townhouse complex located in the 6400-block of 168 Street. The man jumped a fence entering the backyard of one of the units, and then used a flashlight to capture the attention of the residents before shining the light on his exposed genitalia.
Upon police arrival, officers located a body of a man. During the search of the home, police also found a drug lab. Early indications suggest that this incident is targeted, and the public is not at risk.
