Recent political speculation about the future of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Programs (TFWP) has created uncertainty for Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector.
It is especially concerning for fruit and vegetable growers, who depend on this reliable seasonal workforce to plant, manage, and harvest much of the country’s produce. Without these essential international workers, Canadians would have difficulty finding locally grown fruits and vegetables on store shelves.
As Canada contemplates the future of its international labour programs, it’s important to remember how they began — and their critical role in our food system. Seasonal or guest workers have long been part of the global workforce; when domestic workers are unavailable, countries open their doors to people from abroad seeking opportunities they can’t find at home.
Guest workers from Italy, Greece, and Spain filled jobs in Northern Europe during the post-war economic boom. Canada welcomed its first seasonal workers in 1966, when 264 Jamaicans came to Ontario to help with the apple harvest, which laid the foundation for the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), now one of Canada’s longest-running and most respected labour programs.
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