The Labour: Attracting and Growing the Agri-Food Workforce Designated Program

Deadline: the designated Program will end on March 31, 2028.

The purpose of the Labour: Attracting and Growing The Agri-Food Workforce Designated Program is to address labour gaps in Ontario’s agri-food sector as well as attract and retain a more diversified, skilled agri-food workforce.

Eligible Activities

The following activities are eligible to be undertaken under the Labour: Attracting and Growing The Agri-Food Workforce Designated Program, including any Initiative established thereunder:

1. Addressing labour challenges and implementing recruitment, training and retention strategies through Cost Share Funding;
2. Increasing skills and capacity in areas of urgent need;
3. Leadership and skill development programming for Indigenous Peoples, youth, women as well as other underrepresented and marginalized groups;
4. Developing and establishing training based on urgently needed workers, including the potential for specific micro-credential programs;
5. Pilots, partnerships, projects, labour campaigns, trade shows and training for agri-food businesses to undertake activities focused on attracting and retaining agri-food workers;
6. Soft skills/pre-employment training for job seekers and employers;
7. Increasing hands-on agri-food sector job training opportunities for prospective agri-food job seekers;
8. Evidence-based research for identifying barriers, challenges and gaps in labour and agri-food occupations;
9. Identifying and developing of evidenced-based initiatives to attract, hire and retain Indigenous Peoples, women and youth as well as other underrepresented and marginalized groups;
10. Developing labour force management strategies, training and employee on-boarding;
11. Promotional campaigns and resources to increase awareness and promote agri-food training, education, jobs and occupations;
12. Expanding job entry pathways through employment services;
13. Communicating success stories that build public trust and improve understanding of the Sector’s successes related to agriculture and agricultural related labour; and
14. Any activity set out in:
    1. A Recipient’s Transfer Payment Agreement or a Vendor’s Service Level Agreement, or
    2. Any Designated Program Guidelines for the Labour: Attracting and Growing The Agri-Food Workforce Designated Program or any Initiative Guidelines for any Initiative established under the Labour: Attracting and Growing The Agri-Food Workforce Designated Program,

provided that activity falls within the purpose of the Labour: Attracting and Growing The Agri-Food Workforce Designated Program.

Eligible Persons

The following are eligible to participate in the Labour: Attracting and Growing The Agri-Food Workforce Designated Program, including any Initiative established thereunder:

1. 1. Primary Producers;
   2. Processors;
   3. Industry Organizations;
   4. Research Bodies;
   5. Retailer/Wholesalers;
   6. Service Providers;
   7. P/T/M Governments; and
   8. Indigenous Peoples.