Data collection | Flawed surveys blamed
The federal government consistently under estimates the labour needs of the agricultural sector because of flawed surveys, says the main agricultural human resources lobby.
The implications are that policy makers can misunderstand the number of workers needed in the agricultural sector and where the supply is available.
“There is not a common approach to collecting agricultural labour data,” Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council chair and former Newfoundland farm leader Merv Wiseman told MPs May 28.
“Nor do the numbers present a clear and accurate picture of the industry or labour market,” said his brief to the Commons human resources committee.
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“Due to the large seasonal or harvest workforce, combined with the increasing use of foreign workers, official statistics currently available may not be providing an accurate picture of agricultural employment.”
An example is the difference between calculating farm labour requirements in the Statistics Canada labour force survey and the Statistics Canada Census of Agriculture.
The former estimates employment on farms at 305,000, including 118,000 employees. The latter estimates 600,000 farm-related jobs with 300,000 of them employees.
The CAHRC told MPs that the difference masks a serious labour shortage on farms.
“Local labour supply is considered in shortage and uncertain,” said the brief.
“Although farm operators employ nearly 300,000 employees, CAHRC research indicates there continues to be a 10 percent vacancy rate on farms.”
It represents a need for at least 30,000 farm workers with estimates of 50,000 within a few years.
The agriculture labour council brought its concerns to Parliament Hill as the government proposes new Employment Insurance rules that emphasize that local unemployed workers should be chosen first for local jobs before foreign workers are hired.
Foreign workers should be brought in only after the local labour pool doesn’t produce.
Wiseman said that is not a good fit for many farm operators who need workers when they are required at seeding and harvest.
Many have used the same foreign temporary workers for years because they understand what is needed.
“Temporary foreign workers are deemed reliable, motivated and efficient,” Wiseman said in his brief to MPs.
“They bring with them a multitude of skills that are beneficial for farm operators and they are present and hard working.”
