Canada
Toronto
Migrant agricultural workers in Southwestern Ontario, Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: Can social mobilization serve as a policymaking lever?
January 2020
- First confirmed case of COVID-19 in Canada (Toronto)
March 2020
- WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic;
- Ontario declares state of emergency;
- Canada and US close shared border to non-essentian traffic;
- Workers in the agricultural sector deemed essential keep working.
April 2020
- Funding for quarantine of workers presented ($1500/worker or $50M);
- Jamaica: Waiver for workers releasing Jamaican government on COVID related liability.
May 2020
- $2.25M funding to farm owners for COVID-19 safety implementation; announcement of the Agri-Food workplace protection program;
- Introduction of Agri-Food Immigration pilot program (PR Stream) until May 14, 2023.
June 2020
- Ontario’s Enhanced Farm Assistance Program: pledges $15 million/up to $7500 per farm to improve workplace and housing conditions;
- Ontario’s Health Service Appeal and Labour Board appeals Nesathurai’s Section 22 bunkhouse capacity ruling;
June 2020
- Mexico halts the sending of TFWs due to rise of COVID-19 infection rate and two migrant farmworker deaths;
- Mexico resumes sending TFW to Canada;
- Medical Office for Health Windsor-Essex Country Health Unit prohibits asymptomatic workers to work.
July 2020
- Southwestern Public Health implements 22 measures under the Health Protection.
September 2020
- First phase of mandatory airport screening implemented.
October 2020
- Announcement of support for strengthening the province’s agri-food sector, covering 50% of the costs (up to $15,000) to upgrade the farms.
November 2020
- Extension of the Federal Mandatory Isolation Program for TFW (until nov 30, 2020).
December 2020
- Health Canada approves national use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine.
Policy Timeline of events, actions, and responses relevant to migrant agricultural worker in Ontario during COVID-19 pandemic.
Credit: Megan Botha, for the Ontario SMAPL team
Solidarity actions in support of migrant agricultural workers in Ontario
