Bobbi Ann Brady is recognizing the 60th anniversary of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), calling it a key part of Ontario’s agriculture industry and Canada’s food supply.
In a statement, the Haldimand-Norfolk MPP said the program has helped local farms thrive since it began in 1966, when 264 workers from Jamaica arrived to assist with Ontario’s apple harvest. Today, more than 30,000 seasonal workers from Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and countries in the Eastern Caribbean travel to Canada each year to support the horticulture sector, including farms across Haldimand-Norfolk.
Brady also welcomed a new scholarship program created through a partnership between the Jamaican government and the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association. The initiative will help cover education costs for the children of Jamaican seasonal workers, including books, transportation, accommodations and school uniforms.
She said the scholarship recognizes the sacrifices many workers make by spending months away from their families to support both Canadian farms and loved ones back home.
Brady acknowledged Canadians have questions about temporary foreign worker programs but argued those concerns should be separated from the agricultural workforce, saying Ontario’s fruit and vegetable sector continues to face serious labour shortages.
She added that eliminating the program would place added pressure on Canada’s food supply and increase reliance on imported produce. Brady also cautioned against expanding the program into other industries, saying it was created to meet the specific labour needs of agriculture.
The MPP noted worker protections have improved in recent years and said many seasonal workers return to the same local farms year after year, building lasting relationships with farming families.
Brady said agriculture depends on both local employees and seasonal workers, adding that respect, fairness and opportunity should remain at the heart of the conversation as the program celebrates its 60th anniversary.
