Scholarship launched for children of farm workers in Ontario

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, working with the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA), yesterday launched the OFVGA Scholarship Programme, an initiative designed to support the children of Jamaican farm workers employed under Canada’s Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP).

At the launch at the ministry’s North Street offices, Pearnel Charles Jr said labour migration should be understood not only in terms of contracts and remittances, but also through its impact on families, futures and generational opportunity.

“The Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme is one of the most enduring and reputable labour arrangements in Jamaica’s history,” Charles said. “For 60 years, it has represented a strong and mutually beneficial partnership between Jamaica and Canada, grounded in trust, reliability, and respect. Today’s scholarship launch is a powerful reminder that worker welfare must also include investment in education and intergenerational progress.”

While SAWP has provided stable employment and supported thousands of households, Charles said the government remained committed to a broader approach to worker welfare, one that emphasises dignity, safety and long-term social mobility for workers and their families.

The scholarship programme is intended to ease the financial pressures faced by many SAWP families, covering costs such as tuition, books, uniforms, examinations and transport. It targets the children of active SAWP workers employed in Ontario and is intended to reward strong academic performance and regular school attendance.

Under the scheme, 10 students will each receive scholarships valued at $115,000 during the academic year. Eligibility is tied to sustained participation in SAWP with the same employer, recognising reliability, discipline and long service.

“This programme may appear modest, but its impact is significant,” Charles noted. “When we invest in a child’s education, we break cycles of vulnerability, unlock opportunity, and strengthen the human capital that drives national development.”

The initiative also marks the 60th anniversary of the bilateral SAWP agreement between Jamaica and Canada, highlighting six decades of cooperation that have reshaped livelihoods and deepened people-to-people ties between the two countries.

Charles thanked the OFVGA for its continued collaboration with Jamaican Liaison Services and acknowledged OFVGA representatives Benjamin Murray, Simon Brother, Lilian Schaer and Alison Robertson for their leadership and support.

Applications for the 2026 OFVGA Scholarship Programme open on April 1 and close on June 30. Successful applicants will be notified ahead of the September academic year.

“As we launch this scholarship programme, let us see it not as a single intervention, but as part of a broader vision where worker welfare, education, and opportunity are inseparably linked,” Charles said. “In doing so, we honour our workers abroad, empower their children at home, and strengthen a partnership that has served both nations for six decades.”