The Decibel What it’s like for migrant workers on Canadian farms
Oct 15, 2025
Jason Kirby, a business reporter at The Globe and Mail, delves into the often-overlooked world of migrant farm workers in Canada. He highlights the industry's heavy reliance on approximately 80,000 migrant workers who face challenging conditions for minimal wages. Kirby shares the story of Roy Campbell, a Jamaican worker whose life has been transformed by seasonal work. He also discusses the long-standing decline of local labor, misconceptions about migrant work, and the intricate balance between labor needs and wage costs that affects the agricultural sector.
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Longterm Worker Builds Life Back Home
- Roy Campbell has worked Ontario apple and lavender farms since 1985 and built businesses back home in Jamaica with his earnings.
- He returns yearly for around eight months to support his family and investments.
Programs Behind Farm Labour
- The Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program supply most farm labour in Canada.
- Agriculture has anchored Canada's temporary worker system for roughly 50 years.
Worker As Pillar Of A Small Farm
- Jason describes Roy as a fixture who keeps a small apple farm running and has improved his family's prospects.
- Roy invested in a grocery and a bar back home and sent his children through school with earnings.