Amidst Chinese tariffs on Canadian seafood, hundreds of temporary foreign workers in Prince Edward Island’s seafood processing industry have encountered reduced hours or layoffs this year, states a group advocating for these workers. The tariffs, implemented by China in response to Canadian levies on Chinese steel, aluminum, and electric vehicles, have contributed to slowdowns in numerous processing plants on the island, according to the PEI Seafood Processors Association.
Ryan MacRae, a program coordinator at the Cooper Institute, a Charlottetown-based organization supporting migrant workers, disclosed that over 200 seafood processing workers have been impacted by diminished work opportunities. MacRae emphasized the challenges stemming from Canada’s temporary foreign worker program, which restricts workers to a single employer through closed work permits, leaving them in a precarious situation when production declines.
The issue extends beyond PEI, with reports from Karen Cocq of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change indicating similar struggles faced by workers across Atlantic Canada. MacRae highlighted the difficulties workers encounter when attempting to switch jobs due to stringent regulations, such as the requirement for employers to possess Labor Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), which are hard to secure.
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent announcement of an $80-million tariff-relief fund for businesses in Atlantic Canada did not address worker support. MacRae suggested granting permanent residency or open work permits to migrant workers for better enforcement of their rights.
