Report on the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program

Abstract

The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) is critical to the success of the Agriculture sector in Ontario. Without this program, many farms would not be able to operate due to an inability to find local labour to sustain their operation. In fact, this year it is expected there will be over 25,000 workers on more than 2000 farms. Feedback from industry stakeholders, farm owners, and the seasonal workers has indicated that there are many misconceptions about the program presented in the media, and subsequently, the program is often misunderstood by the public.