Workforce Strategic Plan

Immigration and Foreign Workers

By 2025 foreign workers are publicly recognized as a valued pillar of Canada’s agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing workforce.

By 2025 Canada has publicly accepted programs to facilitate the entry of foreign workers and new Canadians into Canada’s agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing sectors.

The Immigration and Temporary Foreign Worker Working Group understands the importance of temporary foreign workers to Canada’s agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing workforce. The working group will address policy changes that provide employers with a streamlined approached to gaining access to the workforce while remaining competitive in the agriculture sector.

The working group will conduct research to inform the development of the workforce strategy. The research project will analyze existing labor market information to understand market condition that result in the need for foreign workers. Quantify the importance of temporary foreign workers to the agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing labor force, understanding both the economic impact here in Canada and in the workers home country and gather narratives or case studies that exist outlining the value of foreign workers to Canada’s agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing industry.

Perception and Awareness of Industry and Careers

By 2030, the number of people entering the sector has increased due to positive perceptions of employment in the industry and greater awareness of the variety of occupations suited to various skill sets, the diverse communities in which careers are available, and the paths to career advancement.

Understanding the perception of the sectors and providing awareness of the opportunities in the agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing sectors is crucial to the growth and sustainability of the industry. The Perceptions and Awareness of Industry and Careers Working Group will amplify programs bringing greater awareness of career opportunities in agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing to potential employees, either new comers to Canada, members of underrepresented groups or high school and post secondary institution students. The group will also work towards increasing the awareness of the importance of the sector’s GDP contribution with government and other leading industry stakeholders.

CAHRC is conducting perception and awareness research to investigate perceptions of job seekers who have not traditionally considered careers in the agriculture sector and will recommend strategies for promoting work in the sector to job seekers who have had no connection to the sector. This will inform the development of the strategy by providing insights into the potential of attracting a new source of labour supply.

Skill Development

By 2030, a National Skills Strategy ensures that the sector’s workforce is appropriately skilled.

The Skill Development Working Group will develop the National Skills Strategy as a registry to understand the current and future skills needs of the agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing sectors.

CAHRC will conduct skills research to clarify the potential impact of technology and automation in the agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing industry on future skill requirements and labour demand. The investigation will provide information that will inform skills development, training and education for the industry, ensure that workers have the right skills for employment in the industry now and in the future.

Automation and Technology

By 2030, automation and technology decreases labour demand and increases productivity and competitiveness.

The industry will see an important transition to automation and technology in each sector as it continues to experience shortages in labor. Although it is not the only answer to the falling labor supply. The Automation & Technology Working Group will understand the increase in capital investments and its correlation to labor productivity. They will also examine the need for upskilling and re-skilling due to the changes in technology.

The working group will conduct research to inform the development of the workforce strategy. It will investigate the capacity of members of the agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing sectors to increase their use of automation and technology. Industry representatives will have the knowledge required to make recommendations about how, when and what technology could be adopted to decrease the demand for labour and increase the productivity and competitiveness of Canada’s agricultural and food and beverage manufacturing sectors.

People and Workplace Cultures

By 2030, the sector is viewed as a desired choice for work in Canada by job seekers and workers.

The People & Workplace Culture Working Group will look at increasing recruitment of underrepresented groups to the agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing sectors. By providing safe and healthy workplace culture, a generation of employees will desire to join the agriculture and food and beverage manufacturing sectors.