The government of Ontario is giving up to $118,500 to develop specialized COVID-19 resources to help better protect the health and safety of temporary foreign workers and others employed in the agri-food sector, the government says in a news release on Feb. 16.
“These new resources will ensure that all of our agri-food workers are well informed so they can help stop the spread and keep COVID-19 out of our workplaces,” Ernie Hardeman, minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, says in the release.
These new resources will be developed by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA) with information from health, cultural and support organizations. They will be called the “Cultural Resources Library” and will be distributed to farms, greenhouses and food processing operations across Ontario, the release notes.
“The safety of the international farm workforce has been paramount since the beginning of the pandemic, and the resources developed through this project will further support the efforts of Ontario’s farm employers to keep all farm workers safe while producing food for Canadians,” Bill George, chair of OFVGA, says in the release.
