Page 12 - Huronia Community Foundation - 2023 Vital Signs Report
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AGRICULTURE: IT’S THE SOURCE JOBS, WAGES, AND
OF OUR FOOD SUPPLY LABOUR SHORTAGES:
Arguably the most important aspect of A KEY CONCERN FOR
agriculture is that it’s the source of our food
supply (5). In Canada, we produce enough to A THRIVING NORTH
feed close to 60M people, yet we have over 4M SIMCOE REGION
going hungry every day in Canada. In Ontario,
595,000 households have been identified as What we read and hear in
food insecure. This is unacceptable and we national news headlines,
need to seriously address this issue. Healthy about labour shortages
people are more productive and minimize the and jobs going unfilled, is
impact on our health care system. certainly reflected in North
Simcoe and area.
In 2019, 58 % of all food produced in Canada
was either lost or wasted (6). This represents HCF’s own community
35.5M tonnes of lost food. If proper measures survey (1) pointed to the fact that while unfilled
were taken, much of this could have been jobs in North Simcoe region are abundant,
re-directed to good use. It is imperative that many of them do not come with a living wage
Ontario review our education curriculum – a rate set at $20.70 for 2022 for the area, up
regarding agriculture and it’s many facets. from $19.05 in 2021 (2). Many local employers
are struggling to fill open jobs — a problem
Submitted by Paul Maurice, November which existed pre-pandemic, was exacerbated
2022, our Local representative to the Ontario by the pandemic, and persists with ongoing
Federation of Agriculture (OFA). retirements and worker movement.
FOOD BANK USAGE ON THE RISE Locally, jobs in healthcare (Registered Practical
Nurses, Personal Support Workers, for example)
• According to Foodbanks Canada, foodbank use is up and for A/Z drivers commonly go unfilled, along
35% from 2019. In Ontario it has increased 42% and with skilled labour (such as carpenters) and
1 in 3 visitors were first timers (7). lower skilled positions in the manufacturing
• Foodbank use quadruples in North Simcoe: Georgian sector (such as machine operators).
Bay Foodbank reports number increased from 200 to
850 monthly clients from Dec. 2021. (8)
• Between 2019 and 2021, North Simcoe saw an overall 6%
decline in the number of jobs in the area. The County of
To get more in-depth on this issue, and
potential solutions, go to Call to Action. Simcoe saw a 7% decline, as did Ontario (3).
• Nationally, business revenues are struggling to catch up POINTS OF INTEREST
REFERENCES to 2019 levels, with 51.9% of businesses reporting lower
1. Farm Facts: Canada Action, February 2022 revenues in 2021, and 55.2% of businesses with 1 to 4
2. Stats Can. June 2022. Ontario an Agricultural employees reporting the same (4).
Powerhouse.
3. About Ontario. Economy. Government of Ontario In 2022, nationally, the top labour shortages,
4. Economic Development Committee for North when measured by job posting numbers, were:
Simcoe
5. Ontario Farmland Trust 1) sales and service occupations, 2) business,
6. Food Waste in Canada finance and administration occupations, and 3)
7. Food Banks Canada trades, transport and equipment operators and
8. Feed Ontario. Hunger Report 2022. related occupations, with health occupations
coming in at #5 (5).
12 | North Simcoe and Area’s Vital Signs Report 2023
