"Ottawa, Queen’s Park extend support to migrant farm workers for mental health,"

Farm work is hard on the body. But for migrant labourers from Mexico and the Caribbean who annually spend up to eight months on farms in Norfolk, Haldimand and Brant counties, the toll on their mental health can be even more taxing.

“Most times migrant workers spend more time of the year in Canada than in their own homes,” said Leanne Arnal, who runs the Simcoe satellite office of Catholic Community Services of York Region (CCSYR), an immigration settlement service provider...

In response, Ottawa and Queen’s Park announced $538,000 to expand the Farmer Wellness Initiative — a free program catered to farmers offered by the Canadian Mental Health Association — to farm workers in Ontario.

Farm workers and their families can call a 24-hour hotline at 1-866-267-6255 to speak to a professional counsellor and access crisis counselling, risk assessments, and in-person, phone or video sessions...

Representatives of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association and the Migrant Worker Community Program, a charity that helps workers access legal and health supports, also cheered the move.

“This initiative will help migrant workers feel understood and cared for, preparing them for their daily challenges,” said Migrant Worker Community Program chair Martin Varela.

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