Canada, and Alberta in particular, face growing agricultural labour shortages. In 2017, 47 per cent of Canada’s agriculture employers had difficulty finding workers, leaving 16,500 jobs unfilled and $2.9 billion in lost sales. In 2021, employers across agricultural sectors reported labor shortages: 53 per cent in food and beverage manufacturing, 24 per cent in ag-tech, 21 per cent in livestock production and 17 per cent in grain and seed production. In 2022, 62 per cent of agri-business owners reported recruiting challenges, leaving 28,000 jobs unfilled in peak season and $3.5 billion in lost sales. By 2029, an estimated 123,000 Canadian agri-food jobs will go unfilled.
