Meet the faces behind the Ontario produce on your plate! Each year thousands of migrant farm workers make their way to Ontario to work on fruit and vegetable farms around the province. While for many of them this experience is relatively new, some workers have been returning to Ontario farms for over 20 years! From trumpet players to carpenters, they all have a unique story to share. Click the profiles below to learn more about the women and men who play such an important role on our farms.
Meet Willie, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Jamaica
I’m Wilfred (Willie) Leslie and I’ve from Westmoreland, Jamaica. I’ve been coming here for 38 years. My wife’s name is Lillie. I talk to her every day. We’ve been married for 24 years. We have two children – one is working and one is just going to school. Back home, I did a little bit of farming; some sugar cane, some yams and banana but it wasn’t moving all that fast.
Meet Roy, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Jamaica
I’m Roy Campbell and I’m from Montego Bay. I’ve been travelling here since 1985, always on the same farm. I decided to come to Canada because of my family. It brings in more funds for me with six kids. This is a big part of my livelihood. It helped me afford for them to go to school. My wife Glorene is a great person. She gives me strength.
Meet Phillip, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Jamaica
My name is Phillip Robinson and I’ve been coming to Canada since 1998. I’ve been on this farm since 2004. Our job is to prune trees, pick lavender and help with the gardening of all of the plants and flowers, stuff like that. Back home, I do a little farming and grow a little coffee in the Blue Mountain area. I’m from the Blue Mountain area.
Meet Evon, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Jamaica
I’m Evon Tomlin and I’m from Manchester, Jamaica. I’ve been coming to Canada since 1990. The reason I am here is to help take care of my family back home, to take care of my mother and my other family. I have four great children. When I was younger, I always saw my uncle coming to Canada to work on farms. I asked him how I could do the same thing and he finally put me onto it.
Meet Raezlle, Project Administrator, The Neighbourhood Organization
I am Filipino and came to Canada as a student and studied International Business Management at Niagara College. The Neighbourhood Organization (TNO) had advertised a legal workshop for the Filipino community and that’s the first time I heard about the work they do. The TNO supports newcomers to Canada, including seasonal agricultural workers and others working in retail, construction and food service, in many ways.
Meet Jennifer Rajasekar, Program Manager, The Neighbourhood Organization
When I was young, my parents and I immigrated to Canada, where my aunts and brothers had already lived since the early 60s. The move was challenging, especially at that age. My father wanted me to be an accountant, but I have always been passionate about helping people. I pursued an Economics degree in India and later earned a diploma in counselling in Canada.
Meet Vidal, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Mexico
I am Vidal and I am from Veracruz, Mexico. I have been working for nine seasons here in Canada. In the four seasons I have been on this farm, I have mainly worked packaging potatoes. It was excellent that Brenn-B Farms (the farm) put in a team for the soccer tournament. For me it was excellent because we had a lot of fun and we did an activity that we normally don’t do.
Meet Evaristo, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Mexico
I was told about the worker program by some friends back in Mexico. Years passed before they started promoting it in the state of Veracruz (where I am from) but when they did, I joined. Now I have been coming here 23 years and I have been all over Canada. I have been coming to this farm for eight seasons. At home I have my aunt and my partner, Alicia.
Meet Esteban, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Mexico
My name is Esteban Pérez García and I come from Mexico, from the State of Tlaxcala. I have been working in Canada at the same farm for six seasons. Each season I come over here for eight months. I arrive in January and start to pack onions and potatoes. Later in the year we prepare the seed to plant the potatoes, then we will plant onions, do weeding in the onion fields and right now we are harvesting cilantro and dill.
Meet Sheldon, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Trinidad and Tobago
My name is Sheldon Edwards. I’m from the countryside in Trinidad and Tobago. I have been coming to Canada since 2001. I have worked all over Ontario on lots of different types of farms. I have worked with flowers, potatoes, asparagus, berries and now apples, pears and cherries. I also do farm work back home, like gardening.
Meet Kellon, Seasonal Agricultural Worker from Trinidad and Tobago
My name is Kellon, I am 31 years of age and I am from Trinidad and Tobago. I have been coming to Canada since 2015 and this is my second year with Schuyler Farms. I am captain of the football (soccer) team here at Schuyler Farms. Having a football team here is great. Football keeps you away from trouble and being negative; you take the time away from being negative and put it into football.
Meet Rattana, Temporary Foreign Worker from Thailand
My job on this farm is picking and packing the strawberries. Sometimes, I care for the plants, like collecting the runners from the strawberry plants and de-leafing (removing extra leaves).I enjoy picking strawberries, but the best part of being here is that I have good coworkers and a good boss.