With Labour Shortages Looming and Urban Sprawl Afoot, the Future of Canadian Farmland Is “In Doubt”
Policies including building a new pipeline of domestic operators and workers by promoting post-secondary enrolment in agricultural programs, as well as integrating agriculture into mainstream programs.
By Zakiya Kassam
Stores.com
Apr 11, 2023
Excerpt:
By 2033, Canada will face one of the biggest labour and leadership transitions in the country’s history. A new report from RBC finds that 40% of Canadian farm operators will retire by 2033 — and to make matters worse, a deficient of 24,000 farm, nursery, and greenhouse workers is expected to emerge over that same 10-year period.
RBC’s report — produced in partnership with the Boston Consulting Group Centre for Canada’s Future and Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph — draws attention to the reality that 66% of Canadian producers do not have a succession plan in place, “leaving the future of farmland in doubt.”
“These gaps loom at a time when Canada’s agricultural workforce needs to evolve to include skills like data analytics and climate-smart practices that enable us to grow more food with fewer emissions,” says RBC. “Through short-, medium-, and long-term policies, Canada can establish the digitally-savvy agricultural workforce needed to make our country a global leader in low carbon, sustainable food production.”
Such policies range from upping Canada’s concentration of specialized immigrants. By providing permanent immigration status to over 24,000 general farm workers and 30,000 farm operators, the country can bridge retirement and staffing gaps, says RBC. But without a significant labour infusion, the country’s already-worrisome agricultural skills crisis will only worsen. As it currently stands, 60% of today’s farm operators will be over the age of 65 by 2033 — the highest proportion on record.
