A delegation from the Sunshine Coast travelled to Vancouver on Friday to put more pressure on the federal government to ease its restrictions on temporary foreign workers.
Sunshine Coast mayors and residents met with Immigration Minister Lena Diab, urging the federal government to open up more spaces as they say that local businesses will suffer during peak tourist season and their hospital will face serious staff shortages.
“Our main focus today was to emphasize the urgency,” District of Sechelt Mayor John Henderson said.
“We stand to lose 300 temporary foreign workers and their families this year, and that’s gonna be crippling to the community.”
Sechelt resident Agnes Cabe said some temporary foreign workers are working in elder care as dental assistants and health care assistants.
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“So, mostly I can say they are filling the necessary position to keep the community up and running,” she said.
For teenager Allainne Gabaleo, Sechelt has become home.
“We’re trying our best to stay longer,” the 14-year-old said on Friday. “And my parents are working hard to keep up with the things we need.”
However, her parents are temporary foreign workers and are facing the possibility that their work permits will not be renewed.
“We don’t want to risk losing everything we got here in Canada,” Gabaleo said.
The federal government has placed a 10-per cent cap on low-wage temporary foreign workers, making it harder for some employers to keep them.
Henderson said Sechelt faces many of the same labour challenges as more remote communities.
He, along with local business owners, will head to Ottawa this month, arguing against a unilateral approach.
“We need to be more granular. We need to itemize what does a particular community need,” Henderson said.
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