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".
The Royal Canadian Navy launched a push to replace the country's four Victoria-class submarines nearly two years ago by creating a special team to figure out what Canada needs in a new fleet. The move came in response to growing concerns about the age of Canada's existing submarines and the amount of time needed to design and build such vessels.
Party leader Jagmeet Singh said he expects to see money in the budget to expand dental care coverage to teens, seniors and people living with a disability, which was part of the confidence-and-supply agreement with the Liberals.
Two people are dead and nine others are injured after a pickup truck ran into multiple pedestrians in the eastern Quebec community of Amqui on Monday, with police alleging the driver acted deliberately and with premeditation. Here's a look at some other vehicle-ramming cases in Canada in recent years:
A statement from Surrey RCMP says the body was discovered as officers were called to the Grandview Heights neighbourhood just before 8 p.m. Monday. Police say the unnamed victim appeared to have been shot. The case has been turned over to IHIT.
Pedestrian safety measures and protected cycling infrastructure will be put in place between 96th and 108th avenues. Planned pedestrian safety improvements include wider sidewalks, curb extensions, new crosswalks and accessible curb ramps.
Sgt. Hélène St-Pierre said the 38-year-old driver, a local resident, turned himself in to police and was arrested under suspicion of committing a fatal hit and run. One man who died was in his 60s, and the other was in his 70s.
