“Originally roads and transportation made this the ideal location
for our manufacturing facility. 28 years later we're here because of
the people. We've got good people, and that's what makes us a
success in Southeast Alberta.”
Greenhouse foreign labour seminar addresses changes to program policies
Through preliminary meetings with eleven greenhouses, the EDA identified challenges facing the industry, one being difficulty retaining staff; compared to some Canadians, foreign workers feel comfortable in the hot and humid environment increasing productivity by up to 50%, and decreasing staff turn around.
Changes to policies with the Foreign Temporary Program, have created challenges for growers. On Thursday, April 08, 2010, from 1-4pm at the Fireside Room in the Cypress Center, Marius Curteanu from Alberta Employment and Immigration (AE&I) and Alan Dooley from Agriculture and Rural Development, Alberta, will address current changes to the foreign labor program.
Acknowledging that with a stable workforce, greenhouse operators have an opportunity to expand and grow, the Economic Development Alliance of Southeast Alberta has been working alongside AE&I to add greenhouses to a special classification of the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program. Listing this industry under the semi skilled category would allow operators to keep their trained foreign workers.
The greenhouse foreign labor seminar will assist local growers in obtaining new and accurate information on the Foreign Temporary Workers Program and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, while providing a platform for growers to talk directly with program representatives. There is no cost to attend.
We encourage operators to attend this information session for up-to-date information. The deadline to RSVP is Thursday, April 1st, 2010. For more information or to register for this event please contact info@edalliance.ca or (403) 488-7015.