PREPARED BY: Environmental Health

DATE: 2026-02-05

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is committed to ensuring the provision of safe and adequate housing for International Agricultural Workers (IAWs) in accordance with the Health Protection and Promotion Act, 1990, the Ontario  Public Health Standards , and the Seasonal Farm Worker Housing Guidelines, 2010 (or as current).

IAWs are essential to food production in Canada and arrive through two primary streams: the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP), which permits workers to stay up to eight months, and the broader Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, which allows stays of up to two years¹. Currently Windsor-Essex County (WEC) receives approximately 12,000 to 15,000 IAWs annually.

Farm owners and operators who employ and house IAWs are required to arrange seasonal housing inspections with the WECHU and local municipal authorities, prior to the workers’ arrival, in accordance with Service Canada requirements. Public Health Inspectors (PHIs) conduct inspections based on the Seasonal Farm Worker Housing Guidelines to assess that accommodations are maintained in a sanitary manner, remain free of health hazards, provided access to potable water, and adhere to infection prevention and control practices. Approval letters that outline the maximum occupancy limit are issued to farm owner/operators when the accommodation is in compliance with the guidelines. If issues are observed during the inspection the issuance of the approval letter will be delayed until a re-inspection is conducted and compliance is met. 

The WECHU also works in collaboration with other agencies, including the Foreign Agricultural Resource Management Services (F.A.R.M.S.), Service Canada, and municipal fire, building, and by-law departments to ensure all regulatory requirements are fully met, before workers are permitted to occupy the accommodations. 

DISCUSSION

Between 2023 and 2025, Windsor and Essex County (WEC) experienced steady growth in seasonal housing accommodations, increasing from 947 in 2023 to 1,147 in 2025 (Table 1). The increased number of inspections conducted by the WECHU to support farm owners/operators participating in IAW programs (Table 2) is a result of the expansion seen across the agricultural sector throughout WEC. 

Despite an increase in the total number of seasonal housing accommodations, the WECHU saw a decline in the number of re‑inspections over a three‑year period (refer to Table 2). This downward trend suggests improved compliance among farm owners/operators, with more accommodations meeting guideline requirements during the initial inspection. 

Note: The number of required inspections differs from the total number of seasonal housing accommodations as it reflects inspections conducted for housing for both worker streams—the SAWP which requires inspection every eight months, and the TFW Program which requires an annual inspection.

In 2026, the WECHU will continue to work closely with farm owners/operators to ensure that IAWs have adequate housing accommodations, supported by ongoing education, proactive engagement, and continued collaboration with partner agencies.

Reference

Canadian Federation of Agriculture (2026). Temporary Foreign Worker Program and Canadian Agriculture