After a tour of table-top strawberries and high-tunnel raspberries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., Jamaican minister of labour, led the speeches at a 60th celebratory event hosted by Strawberry Tyme Farms, near Simcoe, Ontario. This was the culmination of other events in the Greater Toronto Area and Collingwood, Ontario to honour the temporary foreign workers from Jamaica who have travelled for 60 years under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. 

“Together we have demonstrated the capacity for improvement every year,” said Charles Jr. “Even during COVID, we found a way to bring workers to Canada safely.” 

Over the years, thousands of Jamaican workers have come to work on Ontario’s fruit and vegetable farms, inspired by the need to provide a better life for their families. It’s not unusual to hear stories about sending the first generation of students to university. Or of workers starting their own businesses in Jamaica. 

“In a world of constant change and transformation, we want some of those changes to benefit Jamaica,” said Charles Jr. “The only way to make that happen is to respect and regard open dialogue. This program (SAWP) has been a center of diplomacy between Canada and Jamaica.” 

The minister thanked the farm employers and communities who supported Jamaica with container loads of goods after Hurricane Melissa struck in late October, 2025. He also acknowledged the dedicated team work of the Jamaican Liaison Office helmed by Althea Riley. 

In a memorable gesture, Minister Charles Jr. presented an award to Hector Delanghe, one of the original pioneers of the SAWP in the 1960s. As chair of the labour section of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association, Delange was responsible for the development of FARMS…Foreign Agricultural Resources Management Services which represents a range of horticultural commodity organizations and coordinates the processing of requests for foreign, seasonal agricultural workers. 

In accepting the award, Delange said, “As a negotiator, if you can give something, you can ask for something.” 

Source: staff