Province expands eligibility under workplace protection program

Deadline extended to February 2022 to offset costs related to COVID-19

The Ontario government has made changes to the Enhanced Agri-food Workplace Protection Program (EAWPP) that are expected to increase uptake by farmers.

Eligible costs have expanded and the application deadline has been extended.

“The health and wellbeing of the workforce in the agri-food sector is, and always has been, a priority for our government,” said Lisa Thompson, minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs.

Why it matters: Agribusiness operations faced additional expenses related to worker protection during the pandemic and may now be able to recoup some of those costs.

As of Nov. 17, eligible expenses for the 60 per cent cost-sharing cap will increase to $50,000 from $15,000 per farm and the application deadline is Feb. 1, 2022. Those changes may allow producers to recoup some of the mounting COVID-19 safety expenses.

“By expanding the funding and eligibility, the EAWPP is helping enhance health and safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace, keeping workers and employers protected, and ensuring Ontario’s food supply chain remains strong,” said Thompson.

The expanded eligibility covers food and beverage processors with three or more employees, agri-food industry organizations and associations, as well as poultry catchers, vaccinators and professional barn cleaners.

Susan Fitzgerald, executive director of the Poultry Service Association, said the group is pleased that the changes cover all poultry handling companies.

“Previously, the program specified chicken catching companies, which excluded other types of poultry catching and loading and also vaccinators,” said Fitzgerald. “Professional barn cleaners are another integral part of the poultry service sector, which were not included in the previous program.”

Gordon Stock, senior policy advisor with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, said he anticipates growers will welcome changes under the Responsive COVID-19 Outbreak Management category. Claims for extraordinary costs related to the mandatory 14-day quarantine for workers, dating back to April 23, are now eligible.

“It’s welcome news that the programs are being opened up to include more costs,” Stock said. “It’s been a difficult fall, and it’s been challenging for farmers to find the time to do (applications) as the original deadline was Nov. 30, 2021.”

Stock said the increases signal provincial recognition of the extraordinary financial burden growers shouldered to maintain COVID-19 workplace safety protocols while also facing higher energy and labour costs.

“I think all those factors will help in the uptake of the program,” Stock said.

Chris Conway, Food and Beverage Ontario CEO, said members incurred significant costs to maintain worker safety through various workplace enhancements and by supplying personal protective equipment.

“There’s been a lot of precautions,” he said. “We have a call with our board every single week about this just to talk about changes and updates. (COVID-19 safety) is taken really, really seriously by the industry.”

Conway said some facilities and workplaces had mandated vaccinations, or at a minimum require daily testing for those who aren’t vaccinated. However, when it comes to temporary foreign workers, there are other barriers including language that make it more challenging to share COVID-19 safety and vaccine information. Cultural influences and general apprehension about the vaccine are additional issues.

“I can’t overstate how much work has gone into this to ensure our industry is compliant and safety protocols are in place,” said Conway.

He said that a key consideration is to ensure the application process is not overly onerous for members. Many small and medium-sized companies don’t have the resources to manage complex funding applications and won’t subscribe to them.

“(So it’s) just making sure when we see the details, that it’s relatively straightforward for organizations that are smaller or medium-sized and that the eligibility is broad enough to include different parts of the sector, whether they be smaller companies, larger companies and so on.”