The National Housing Standards Document was released on May 9, 2025.
- 29 activists, experts and clinicians across the country have developed a guidance document on National Housing Standards for Migrant Agricultural Workers.
- This initiative is informed by decades of research.
- This is a direct response to years of federal government inaction.
- Available in English, French and Spanish.
A guidance document for National Housing Standards was released May 9th, 2025.
Decades of research and advocacy have unequivocally shown that housing conditions for migrant agricultural workers (MAWs) in Canada are inconsistent, substandard, and undignified. To uphold basic labour rights and human rights, the federal government should develop national housing standards for all agricultural workers hired through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Our recommendations in this document have been developed by over 20 academic researchers, clinicians, and advocates. They draw from (i) our original empirical research; (ii) clinical and advocacy experience, and (iii) a compilation of migrant agricultural worker housing standards from across Canada.
The evidence is clear. National housing standards are overdue for this population. Accordingly, in this document we provide detailed recommendations for an enforceable national MAW housing standard. Our guidelines encompass enforcement; property qualities and existing building codes; climate control; privacy, safety and freedom; access to services and communication; and the essentials for a healthy and dignified home.
This guidance document was developed by the Coalition for National housing standards for Migrant agricultural workers (CoNaMi), a group of academics, clinicians and advocates.
List of Contributors (Alphabetical Order)
Théa Demmers
Université de Montréal
Akim Edwards
Western University
Guillermo Ventura Sanchez
Concordia University
