April 4, 2022 — Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada (FHCP) welcomes the federal government’s announcement of the Workforce Solutions Road Map which would make important improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), including increasing current caps for employers and extending the validity of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA’s).
We are pleased the federal government is moving in the right direction to address our sector’s labour crisis. Today’s announcement reflects FHCP’s call to accelerate access and increase the number of foreign workers into Canada through a streamlined Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Labour shortages significantly impact food manufacturers, where 1 in 10 available jobs currently remain unfilled. According to a recent FHCP member survey, more than 75 per cent of our member companies reported labour capacity shortages, impacting their ability to manufacture and supply everyday essential products. Additionally, the latest member survey from Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) noted that the top challenge to upscaling or relocating to Canada for manufacturers is the lack of available labour (71 per cent).
FHCP members prefer to source their labour domestically, but despite critical investments in training, safety and recruitment, 28,000 jobs remain unfilled. Today’s announcement is an important step towards filling the current domestic labour gap and providing additional certainty for manufacturers at this critical time in our economic recovery.
It is important to welcome incoming workers and help them become part of the community in which they contribute to. We are pleased to see commitments to enhance worker protections and support them with housing and other necessary accommodations.
We look to Thursday’s Federal Budget to provide the necessary resources to ensure that the government can follow through with its important commitments announced today.
About Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada
FHCP is the voice of the food, health, and consumer product industry that employs over 350,000 Canadians across businesses of all sizes that manufacture and distribute the safe, high-quality products that are at the heart of healthy homes, healthy communities, and a healthy Canada.