Some apple growers in the Haut Saint-Laurent could experience significant losses because of delays caused by Citizenship and Immigration Canada in processing requests for permits for foreign worker.
Delays, which can take from 7 to 14 weeks, are such that some workers coming from Central America will only be authorized to start work around mid-October.
According to Mario Bourdeau, president of the regional syndicate for The Federation of Quebec Apple Growers (FPPQ), some 30 apple growers have recourse to foreign workers in the region which extends from Vaudreuil-Soulanges as far as the Hemmingford sector.
“In two weeks, the situation could become critical if apple growers happen not to have the required number of workers. By the end of the summer, we’ve succeeded in completing the work with our employees, but for the big season (September-October), we need more people,” stated Bourdeau.
At Verger POMI in Saint-Antoine-Abbé/Franklin, the business usually employs 22 foreign workers, but nine workers still do not have their permits, which is nearly half the work force.
“Usually we form two teams of foreign workers and one Québécois team, says Josiane Brault-Lussier. As it stands we’ll have one team of foreign workers, but we have only been able to employ one Quebecois worker. The situation is really critical and our harvest could suffer losses of 30% to 40%.”
“We were able to count on a dozen workers who were hired in mid-June to harvest blueberries”, explains Jeanne Mckenzie at Vergers Mckenzie. Nevertheless, because of bureaucratic delays, the business chose to seek out an employment agency to try and hire at least six more workers to pick apples.
The problem recruiting local workers is the same for a number of other growers in the region, particularly at Vergers Rockburn. “For sure it has a negative effect on apple growers, there is nobody to do the work and when it comes to picking, it’s the worst because there’s nobody to pick the apples after all the work and money that has gone into producing them throughout the year.” notes Laurie Ann Prevost.
After pressure was exerted last week on Maxime Bernier, Minister of State, Small Business, Tourism and Agriculture, the pace seems to have picked up according to some sources.
Translated by Cathleen Johnston
