The Rural Voice, 1990-09, Page 56NEWS
SEASONAL WORKER
PROGRAM FUNDED
The Ontario Seasonal Housing Assis-
tance Program has been extended until
February 28, 1991, Ontario Minister
of Agriculture David Ramsay and
federal Employment and Immigration
Minister Barbara McDougall an-
nounced last month.
Under the program, funded jointly
by the federal and provincial govern-
ments, $800,000 is available to help
Ontario farmers provide housing for
workers employed in the production and
harvesting of fruit, vegetables, and to-
bacco.
Grants will be available to producers
who have not participated in the pro-
gram before and to producers who have
not used up the maximum benefits dur-
ing the 1986-90 program.
The current agreement provides
grants of up to 40 per cent of the cost of
construction or renovation of seasonal
housing or up to $500 per worker
housed, to a maximum of $5,000 per
applicant.
Individual payments received dur-
ing the 1986-90 program apply to the
current program.
Between 1986 and 1990, 558 grants
totalling $2.8 million were approved,
and housing was provided for 4,540
seasonal workers.
Under the current system, the Can-
ada/Ontario Agricultural Employment
Committee will continue its operations.
The committee, composed of members
of the farm community and government,
addresses the issue of farm labour short-
ages.
During the past year, the committee
initiated a research study on methods of
recruiting, motivating, and keeping
farm employees. The committee hopes
to determine the best methods for vari-
ous types of farm operations, and to use
the knowledge for educational pro-
grams.
Workshops and seminars to improve
recruitment methods and employee
motivation were funded by the commit-
tee as well.
The committee also established an
inter -provincial exchange program to
encourage young people to enter agri-
cultural jobs across Canada.0
"Dufferin - Peel
Deserves More Than
Broken Promises"
September 6, 1990, Vote
David
Tilson
"The STRONG Alternative
for Dufferin - Peel"
Authorized by the Committee to Elect David Tilson
SEEDSTOCI(
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SEPTEMBER 1990 53