 March 13, 2008, Leamington, Ont. —
The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG) has donated $10,000 to
the Leamington-based Migrant Worker Community Program (MWCP). “The MWCP
has significant value for the community and all offshore workers in the
area,” notes the OGVG in a news release.
Each year, thousands of migrant workers arrive in Ontario to provide much-needed and greatly appreciated labour. The MWCP provides these workers with a wide variety of activities and services. Local radio and television stations, for example, now run programs in Spanish.
English and Spanish classes are offered to migrant workers and local residents. “This has promoted a better relationship and understanding of the diverse culture of this area,” the OGVG notes.
The MWCP has implemented an effective bicycle safety education program. “This is especially valuable in our area as the workers use bicycles as a primary means of transportation. OGVG is in strong support of this program. The safety of our workers is very important.”
The MWCP helps organize a pair of annual festivals. One focuses on Jamaica and the Caribbean, and the other on Mexico and Central America. “Both festivals raise the community’s awareness and respect for these cultures.”
The region at large benefits from the work of the MWCP. Having a stable and contented workforce within the greenhouse sector is essential to the economic well-being of the community, says the OGVG.
|
