The Ontario Government, through Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS), is providing a series of information sessions to help farmers and other agri-food operators better protect workers’ health and safety and prevent COVID-19 outbreaks. The first webinar is being offered on February 26, hosted by Ernie Hardeman, MVP for Oxford and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in collaboration with Randy Pettapiece, the Parliamentary Assistant, Monte McNaughton, MVP for Lambton-Ken-Middlesex and Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development, and Mike Harris, MVP for Kitchener-Conestoga. The webinar will take place on Friday, February 26, at 1:30 PM.
“I know farmers and agri-food operators care deeply about their workers’ health and safety,” said Minister Hardeman. “There’s an abundance of resources and information out there and these sessions will help each farmer and agri-food business in their ongoing efforts to improve their own workplaces to protect their workers.”
The 2021 growing season is already underway in some parts of the agri-food industry and temporary foreign agricultural workers have started to arrive in Ontario. This information session will help all farmers and operators enhance health and safety requirements and apply best practices in their operations.
“More than 1,000 workplace inspections in the last year have helped stop the spread of COVID-19 on farms,” said Minister McNaughton. “It is our job to protect the health and safety of agricultural workers no matter their passport. These information sessions are another resource from our government to keep the hardworking people who are putting food on our tables safe.”
The upcoming session for Oxford, Middlesex, Perth, Wellington, Kitchener and Conestoga will support agriculture workplaces, including those with temporary foreign agriculture workers or other employees, to prepare for and put in place effective measures and training based on evidence-based practices. It will also introduce tools and resources to assist these workplaces to implement these practices and includes access to up to two days of individualized consulting and training services by WSPS experts for their business.
The webinar will take place on Friday, February 26, 2021 at 1:30 PM. Attendees are asked to register by emailing meaghan.martin@ontario.ca. Registration is open until Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 4:00 PM.