‘Extending our quarantine program will provide peace of mind to workers, employers and communities’
British Columbia is requiring temporary foreign workers coming to the province for seasonal agriculture work to go through quarantine protocols once they step into local soil.
“These seasonal workers are so vital to our farming communities and play an integral role in preserving our province’s food supply,” said Lana Popham, minister of agriculture, food and fisheries. “Extending our quarantine program will provide peace of mind to workers, employers and communities that we are doing everything possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19. I know some of these workers leave their homes to come to B.C. year after year, many returning to the same farms where they have developed close relationships, and we are grateful for their help in growing and harvesting food for British Columbians.”
Upon arrival in Canada, temporary foreign workers will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms by federal officials. Those who have symptoms will be placed in quarantine at the point of entry or be sent to the hospital as per the federal Quarantine Act. If asymptomatic, workers will continue on to the provincial quarantine site for 14 days.
Thereafter, if workers do not develop any symptoms of the disease or once the employee is fully recovered from the same symptoms, they will be safely transported to their farm.
The province will continue to fund hotel, food-service costs, laundry services, wellness walks, interpretation and translation services, health screening and other necessary supports for these workers during the quarantine period, according to the government.
Last year, British Columbia spent approximately $17 million on accommodations, meals and laundry service for the 4,997 temporary foreign workers who came to B.C. between April 13, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020. Among workers who arrived during that period, 64 tested positive for COVID-19. All recovered while under the care and supervision of the provincial quarantine program.
“In the context of COVID-19, the Consulate of Mexico in Vancouver praises the actions taken by the B.C. government to ensure the safety and health of Mexican Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program workers by providing quarantine centres and physically inspecting the housing facilities before their arrival,” said Berenice Diaz Ceballos, Mexican consul general. “The ongoing collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, and the consulate has allowed us to keep our nationals safe and informed. We look forward to jointly addressing the challenges we face during these complex times and after the pandemic is over.”
B.C. also previously invested $10 million in social services agencies and organizations to improve occupational health and safety training programs for staff, build on their capacity and support recruitment and retention.
Prior to having the quarantine program in place, an additional 2,000 temporary foreign workers came to B.C. for seasonal agriculture work, for a total of approximately 7,000 TFWs for the 2020 calendar year. This year, approximately 11,000 TFWs will come to B.C., similar to 2019 and previous years, according to the government.
In November 2020, the federal government invested $945,000 under the Emergency On-Farm Support Fund to help Prince Edward Island (PEI) farmers better protect the health and safety of farm workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
