Migrant farm employees had been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 due to poor housing situations. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot
Think about if, throughout the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic — earlier than vaccines had been accessible — you needed to share a cramped bunkhouse with a dozen co-workers. Think about in case your employer forbid you from having private guests, or for those who needed to ask your boss for permission to go to the physician.
Agricultural employees employed by way of the Short-term Overseas Employee Program often confront these dynamics whereas they depart their households behind in nations like Mexico and Jamaica for months and even years at a time to work in Canada. Continuously, they stay on their employer’s property. These housing situations are inconsistent, typically overcrowded and typically grossly substandard.
However this month, the federal authorities is holding a roundtable to enhance migrant farm employees’ employer-provided housing. This can be a essential alternative to sort out persistent issues.
COVID-19 revealed risks of poor housing
When COVID-19 hit migrant farm employees disproportionately onerous in 2020, many Canadians acknowledged the connection between farm employees’ poor housing and the avoidable well being challenges they typically face. Our personal analysis exhibits housing situations performed a serious position within the premature loss of life of a number of farm employees.
Staff do upkeep at an Ontario asparagus farm briefly shut down after 164 migrant employees examined constructive for COVID-19 in June 2020 .
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Policymakers are more and more recognizing that housing is a big determinant of well being. However for migrant agricultural employees, housing can be a big determinant of loss of life.
Earlier than the pandemic, agricultural business teams pushed again towards creating nationwide housing requirements for employees. The federal authorities commissioned a research in 2018 by the Nationwide Dwelling Inspector Certification Council, a non-profit group that certifies housing inspection credentials. The research concluded that the standard of housing for migrant farm employees lacked uniformity, and the investigators beneficial standardized standards.
But 4 years later, the federal government has made sluggish progress in direction of enforceable nationwide housing requirements.
Key housing points
Our analysis in British Columbia and Ontario, together with interviews with over 50 migrant agricultural employees, recognized a number of key housing points:
Water, meals and sanitation: Lack of entry to wash consuming water and inadequate bogs, showers and handwashing stations are widespread issues raised by migrant employees. Insufficient refrigeration, meals storage and stoves had been additionally typically reported. This has severe penalties for the kind of meals employees can prepare dinner and retailer, and their diet. Due to restricted laundry, cooking and washroom amenities, some employees spend their days ready in line for a flip at these fundamental facilities.
Heating, cooling and electrical energy: Some employees advised us that on a chilly winter’s night time, they collect round an area heater or oven door to remain heat. In the summertime warmth, one employee advised us that attempting to sleep after an extended shift is a “dwelling hell” resulting from an absence of air flow and air con within the trailer he shares with one other employee.
Publicity to pests, hazards and disrepair: The 2018 report commissioned by the federal authorities discovered that 40 per cent of employees’ housing was reported by employers as “twin objective.” This implies dwelling quarters additionally functioned as office amenities (for instance, granaries, garages, and so on.). This discovering suggests many employees could stay in shut proximity to agricultural chemical compounds and different hazards, which echoes findings from earlier analysis. Lack of upkeep can be widespread.
Overcrowding and lack of privateness: One research reported the ratio of employees to functioning bogs on one farm was 45 to 2. Echoing this analysis, overcrowding and cramped dwelling quarters had been among the many commonest complaints made by contributors in our personal research. Throughout COVID-19, these cramped dwelling quarters amplified uncertainty and anxiousness for employees. A scarcity of private area additionally undermines employees’ fundamental want for privateness and intimacy. One interviewee famous, “you possibly can’t even want your spouse an excellent night time,” with out somebody overhearing.
Isolation and employer management: Migrant agricultural employees are inclined to stay in rural areas far-off from fundamental companies and neighborhood actions exterior of labor (comparable to spiritual companies). Current farm employee deaths from motor automobiles level to the shortage of public and secure energetic transportation in employees’ neighbourhoods. Staff have advised us they could be required to bike one- or two-hour spherical journeys to entry companies or take part in social occasions.
Staff additionally face express restrictions on their freedom. Among the many guidelines some employees are anticipated to adapt to whereas dwelling in Canada embody curfews, prohibitions on guests and being locked into their dwelling quarters. Staff are sometimes hesitant to report unlawful behaviours by their employer for worry it could put their livelihoods in jeopardy.
Motion to make sure secure housing
Migrant employees from Mexico keep social distancing as they wait to be transported to Québec farms after arriving at Trudeau Airport in Montréal in April 2020.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Migrant agricultural employees need to stay with the identical well being, security, and dignity owed to any Canadian employee. The federal authorities ought to take the next actions instantly:
Constant nationwide housing requirements. The federal authorities ought to co-ordinate amongst all ranges of presidency in order that employees now not fall by way of the jurisdictional cracks. Requirements ought to be considerably raised for bodily housing situations (e.g., no bunk beds), well being and security, freedom from employer management and safety of tenure.
Proactive, unannounced and thorough housing inspections to make sure requirements on paper are enforced in follow. Staff want accessible channels to report issues whereas being protected against employer backlash, alongside the liberty to collectively set up. Penalties for non-compliance ought to be excessive sufficient to advertise deterrence.
Authorities-funded housing (for instance, in residential areas, with secure transportation to farms) would assist promote inclusion and entry to neighborhood companies, whereas lowering inappropriate employer restrictions or management.
Everlasting residency, open work permits and a good grievance process earlier than going through deportation would permit employees to refuse unsafe housing and poor work situations, which regularly go hand-in-hand. A safe immigration standing would additionally give employees the choice of bringing their households with them.
The federal authorities’s upcoming roundtable is an pressing alternative to boost the bar on dignified housing and dwelling situations for these members of our communities. Canada ought to cease anticipating low-wage, racialized migrant employees to bear the brunt of preventable sickness and loss of life.
C. Susana Caxaj's analysis is at present funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Analysis Council (SSHRC). Her work has beforehand been funded by the Vancouver Basis and Canadian Institutes of Well being Analysis (CIHR). She is a member of the Migrant Employee Well being Knowledgeable Working Group.
Anelyse Weiler has obtained funding from SSHRC. Her work has beforehand been funded by the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Basis. She is affiliated with the BC Employment Requirements Coalition, Employee Solidarity Community, and Migrant Employee Well being Knowledgeable Working Group.
