Imagine being forced to sleep on a bunk bed with a dirty mattress or share a single bathroom with seven others.

These are just two examples of the conditions migrant farm workers endure when they come to work in Canada.  

It’s a tough life. But Susana Caxaj is striving to change that.  

Susana, a nursing professor at Western University, is a lead investigator on a team of 29 Canadian activists, experts and clinicians that has taken a hard look at the lives of the people who travel from around the world to work in agriculture. Their work culminated in a report called A National Housing Strategy for Migrant Agricultural Workers.

“Migrant farm workers are the driving force of our agricultural industry. They are involved in all aspects of the food on our tables. They pick fruit and vegetables like cherries, grapes, apples and tomatoes and work in the food processing industry with poultry and beef.”

While the work of approximately 78,000 migrant farm workers is crucial to Canadians, the group’s report documents the subpar living conditions they experience, usually in quarters provided by farmers on their property.

“They're often very segregated from day-to-day life,” says Susana. “They have little access to formal services and opportunities to build friendships and connections. And because they're working in one of the most dangerous industries, often under hot sun and where there can be smoke in the air from forest fires, they require unique considerations that aren't always put in place.”

The other problem, Susana notes, is most Canadians are not aware of these difficulties.  

“Their story isn't being told. Canadians like to praise how their food is grown locally. But we're not talking about who is harvesting that food, and who is separated from their homeland and their family.”

The report presents the research group’s findings and offers recommendations for improving the lives of workers in Canada.  

Those recommendations fall under five themes: appropriate housing and meaningful enforcement; privacy, security, access and freedom; dignified living conditions; health and safety in housing; engagement from all levels of government.

All target better living conditions, but Susana says the first crucial step is engaging government.  

“We're working with all levels of government – they each have a unique role to play."

The federal government oversees the migrant worker programs and national housing standards, the province oversees tenancy regulations, while public health units have a role in implementing standards and regulations.

Susana notes the recommendations are already gaining traction in Quebec where policymakers are considering regulations such as limiting the number of individuals sharing a bedroom and banning bunk beds.  

Members of their coalition are also consulting with the Ministry of Health of British Columbia.  

And Susana wants all Canadians to value the workers not only for their contributions to our food, but as fellow human beings.  

“They’re parents. They're professionals. They have big dreams for their families. We shouldn’t lose sight of who they are, or everything they do for us as farmworkers.”