Rights for Migrant Workers

Sign our petition to protect seasonal farm workers

Seasonal farm workers make up 42% of Ontario’s agricultural workforce.

While they work hard to keep food on our table, they are contracting COVID-19 at higher rates.

Lax inspections, unsafe housing, under-regulated temp agencies, and fewer labour rights put these workers at risk.

It’s time to give seasonal farm workers the dignity they deserve.

Greens are calling on Doug Ford to protect migrant workers by:

Providing adequate PPE to all workers
Enforcing stronger inspections of workplaces and housing
Reviewing Ontario’s labour laws to strengthen protections
Enhancing regulations of temp agencies
Creating a provincial housing standard for migrant workers
Working with the federal government to create a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship for migrant workers

Sign our petition to treat migrant farm workers as essential, not invisible.

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Dear Premier Ford:

I am alarmed at the rise of COVID-19 cases among seasonal farm workers in Ontario and am concerned that it is being aggravated by gaps in provincial and federal laws that leave migrant workers vulnerable.

These workers, which represent 41.6% of the agricultural workforce, deserve to be kept safe just like everyone else.

It is not fair that workers might be afraid to report an illness or might be living and working in unsafe conditions that they cannot speak out about.

We must act urgently to keep workers safe from COVID-19 and ensure they have the protections needed to advocate for themselves.

I request that the Government of Ontario act immediately to:

-Provide adequate PPE to all farm workers to ensure they can work and live safely without transmitting the COVID-19 virus;
- Ramp up inspections of farms and living quarters and enforce public safety guidelines;
- Investigate complaints made by farm workers about exploitation, abuse, and unsafe conditions at the hands of employers;
- Consult with migrant workers, advocacy groups, and farms to review Ontario’s labour laws and strengthen protections where necessary; 
- Enhance regulations on temporary worker contract companies, where many of the outbreaks have been traced back to;
- Create and enforce a provincial housing standard for migrant workers that guarantees access to safe and decent housing; and
- Work with the federal government to create a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship for migrant workers

Thank you,

You can submit this letter as-is or change it to reflect your own priorities. Your comment will be forwarded with the subject line "Protect seasonal farm workers", including your name, email and postal code to the Premier of Ontario. You will also be added to the GPO mailing list but you can unsubscribe at any time.

Rights for Migrant Workers (L/SM)

Rights for Migrant Workers