Organizations Meet To Advance Work Standards In Canadian Agrifood Sector At Decent Work Forum

The Decent Work Forum held in Toronto on November 5, 2025.

TORONTO — Representatives from labour, industry and government in the agrifood sector met in Toronto on Nov. 5 to discuss the future of decent work in the sector in Canada, building upon the model of social dialogue recommended in the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Decent work guidelines for the agrifood sector.

Hosted in conjunction with the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), a global union federation of agrifood workers, the event brought together representatives from Canada’s agrifood employers, the federal government, and the food workers’ union as social partners.

In 2023, the International Labour Organization (ILO) released the Decent work guidelines for the agrifood sector, calling for organizations to host events to foster dialogue and advance the guidelines. The first of its kind was held in May 2025 by UFCW Canada.

Decent work is defined by the ILO as a summation of the aspirations of people in their working lives, including productive employment, fair income, security in the workplace, personal development, freedom and equality, and fundamental labour rights.

“How can a food system be safe and healthy if the workers across the system feel insecure, disadvantaged, or disempowered? A sustainable food system must be just for all. A sustainable system must account for food worker justice from field to table if it is to be truly sustainable,” said UFCW Canada National President Barry Sawyer.

“We must approach decent work through the fundamental lens of human rights: every human right has equal value. Devaluing one human right devalues them all. The right to collective bargaining and the right to freedom of association are fundamental human right,” added Mark Lauritsen, President of the IUF in his opening remarks.

In additional to the international representatives from the IUF and the ILO, Canadian labour voices included the Canadian Labour Congress, the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union (BCTGM), the United Steelworkers (USW), and UFCW local union leaders from across the country.

Representatives from industry included Loblaws, Maple Leaf Food, Clearwater Seafood, Food and Beverage Canada, and Highline Mushrooms.

Representatives from Employment and Social Development Canada, Agriculture and Agrifood Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Labour, the B.C. Ministry of Labour, the Future Skills Centre, and Food Processing Skills Canada were also present.

It’s incredibly important when we’re talking about food and beverage manufacturing to make sure that we have a stable and secure food supply chain,” says Kristina Farrell, Chief Executive Officer of Food and Beverage Canada.

Dr. Elvis Beytullayev of the ILO led sessions on recent developments regarding decent work in the agrifood sector while Dr. Raluca Bejan from Dalhousie University presented findings on research examining the conditions of decent work within Canada’s agrifood sector.

Other sessions focused on supply chain transparency, legislation, responsible business conduct, and human rights. Participants heard from experts about Canada’s supply chain legislation, Germany’s due diligence legislative framework, and human rights’ due diligence at Systembolaget, Sweden’s government-run alcohol retail organization.

Panel discussions included challenges faced by migrant workers in the agrifood sector and the necessity of a permanent pathway to permanent residency for migrant agrifood workers.