The MPP for Essex is calling on all levels of government to do more for the agri-farm sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The province announced close to $15-million for health and safety at farms this past Friday.
The announcement came after the number of positive cases exploded in the migrant worker population in recent weeks; resulting in the death of two workers in Essex County.
New Democrat Taras Natyshak says that money works out to "a pitiful $7,500 per farm without putting any concrete directives in place regarding personal protective equipment, bunkhouses, or sanitation."
Natyshak says "handing over a cheque" isn't going to fix over crowded bunk houses and lack of oversight.
"Handing farms money without any direction or support is not going to alleviate the problem," he says. "We need expertise; we need resources and boots on the ground to give direction and leadership."
Natyshak says the Ontario PC's need to mandate quarantine protocols and guaranteed paid sick days without the fear of reprisal.
He says PPE needs to be supplied to all workers and proper alternative accommodations to the cramped bunk houses need to be provided now.
"Potentially we would have been able to mitigate the effects, but now that we are here, we know that COVID-19 is affecting that population specifically," says Natyshak. "It's our responsibility as a government to bring all the resources government to address it."
Outbreaks in the agri-farm sector will affect everyone in the community, according to Natyshak.
"This requires the full response of our provincial and federal governments to address this issue or we'll be stuck in the first phase and have a never ending continuation of transmission," he says.
Natyshak says the province needs to take a long look at policies in place for migrant workers who he feels have been exploited by local growers.
He says workers came to improve the lives of their families back home and they need to be supported and extended the same safe work environment as all Canadians while they're here.
There are more than 200 COVID-19 cases among migrant workers in Essex County.