There are news reports currently circulating that state Mexico is halting temporary foreign workers travelling to Canada. The governments of Mexico and Canada are currently meeting to discuss the situation and will provide an update when more information is available.
"This is a temporary pause in order to determine the circumstances surrounding the safety conditions on farms," Oscar Mora, spokesman for the Mexican embassy in Ottawa, told CNN.
While still being confirmed, early indications are that this will likely not affect workers travelling to British Columbia, according to the Western Agriculture Labour Initiative (WALI). WALI will circulate additional information as soon as it is available. Click here for more WALI updates and COVID-19 resources.
The BC Fruit Growers Association adds that it appears B.C. will continue to be able to receive temporary farm workers from Mexico, despite an announcement from the country’s ambassador Monday that said otherwise. BCFGA general manager Glen Lucas said he has received clarification from Mexico’s consulate in Vancouver that the pause on workers coming to Canada only applies to farms not following COVID-19 guidelines, Castanet reports.