Sandor Gyarmati. The Delta Optimist. Saturday, December 20, 2008

Hundreds of migrant farm workers will eventually be living here for extended periods and should be made to feel welcome, says Coun. George Hawksworth. This summer, Delta council gave final approval to a migrant farm worker housing bylaw that will allow operations to house a maximum of 42 foreign workers. Farms that want to house more than that will have to apply for a variance to the bylaw, which will then have to go before council for approval. Employed through federal programs, many of the seasonal workers come from Mexico and are typically in Canada for up to eight months.

Last month, council approved an application by Westcoast Greenhouses on 46A Street in Ladner to bring in four trailers to house 32 migrant workers. A report to council notes it’s the first large-scale development of migrant farm worker housing in Delta.

The report also states research done in Ontario shows a “generally positive experience” by small towns when migrant farm workers are introduced.

Other applications are expected that could see hundreds more eventually making their way here, said Hawksworth.

While regulations are now in place aimed at maintaining good living conditions, the veteran councillor is concerned there will be little for the workers to do and they’ll be isolated.

“If we’re going to have the potential for some hundreds of foreign workers in our community, I think we, as a community, should, quite frankly, reach out and ensure these people are welcome.

“They’ll want to be using our recreation facilities, some of them will need help with English, and it would seem to me we may need some signs in Spanish in various locations.”

The farm outside the urban area, so there’s going to have to be some arrangements for transportation and so on. It’s an interesting situation we haven’t had to deal with before.

“Rather than look at this as something inflicted upon us, I say here’s an opportunity to welcome these people.”

Hawksworth said municipal regulations stipulate a certain amount of amenity space has to be provided for the workers, but he sees opportunities where locals can interact with them.

“Mexicans, for example, are avid soccer fans. I can see them putting a team together and challenging some of our locals. We need someone to organize that. Some of the workers may want to go to church here and so on.”

The school district probably also has a role to play in providing some ESL training, said Hawksworth. He said the municipality should also check up on the farms to make sure standards are maintained.

“Because it’s part of our bylaw it gives us the opportunity, and perhaps even a responsibility, to from time-to-time just check to ascertain that the conditions that are part of our bylaw are being lived up to,” he said.

Hawksworth noted that while Delta’s bylaw sets a limit of 42 workers, the municipality might find itself having to adopt provincial regulations that would specify even more. He said a new formula could be devised that sets a number of workers according to the size of the farm operation.

“Our bylaw couldn’t stand in conflict with the provincial guidelines, as far as I know,” he said.

A spokesperson with the Ministry of Agriculture said it’s still in the process developing standards and that Delta has committed to review its bylaw for consistency. Delta would be responsible for enforcing its bylaw.

Hawksworth said he hopes community groups and churches, in particular, will reach out to the workers.

“Obviously, their home base is the farm outside the urban area, so there’s going to have to be some arrangements for transportation and so on. It’s an interesting situation we haven’t had to deal with before.

“Rather than look at this as something inflicted upon us, I say here’s an opportunity to welcome these people.”

Hawksworth said municipal regulations stipulate a certain amount of amenity space has to be provided for the workers, but he sees opportunities where locals can interact with them.

“Mexicans, for example, are avid soccer fans. I can see them putting a team together and challenging some of our locals. We need someone to organize that. Some of the workers may want to go to church here and so on.”

The school district probably also has a role to play in providing some ESL training, said Hawksworth. He said the municipality should also check up on the farms to make sure standards are maintained.

“Because it’s part of our bylaw it gives us the opportunity, and perhaps even a responsibility, to from time-to-time just check to ascertain that the conditions that are part of our bylaw are being lived up to,” he said.

Hawksworth noted that while Delta’s bylaw sets a limit of 42 workers, the municipality might find itself having to adopt provincial regulations that would specify even more. He said a new formula could be devised that sets a number of workers according to the size of the farm operation.

“Our bylaw couldn’t stand in conflict with the provincial guidelines, as far as I know,” he said.

A spokesperson with the Ministry of Agriculture said it’s still in the process developing standards and that Delta has committed to review its bylaw for consistency. Delta would be responsible for enforcing its bylaw, according to the ministry.