By Michael Boriero – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Canada’s agricultural industry has managed to stabilize after a significant shock to its system at the beginning of the pandemic, amplifying a pre-existing labour shortage and forcing many producers, processors and distributors to reinvent themselves.
The labour shortage was always there, explained Federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Marie-Claude Bibeau in an interview, but it became a greater challenge due to strict rules regarding temporary foreign workers in the country.
“We already had a labour shortage and it has become more challenging to bring temporary foreign workers in Canada, but we made it happen last year at a level of 85 per cent if we compare with the previous year,” said Bibeau.
While the labour issue simmered and foreign workers arrived in the country to quarantine, there was another burgeoning problem. With the restaurant and hospitality industry closed due to pandemic regulations, farmers faced a significant produce surplus.
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