Migrant farm workers are using the Gospel Mission91裸聊视频檚 services, says the executive director of the shelter.
91裸聊视频淲hat we see is people coming through with fruit picking (jobs) for the agricultural (sector) and historically what we91裸聊视频檝e gotten is people from Quebec and (more) recently people from South America, Mexico and that area,91裸聊视频� said Randy Benson, executive director of the homeless shelter. The workers use the shelter during the summer months, as they work around the Okanagan Valley,91裸聊视频� he said.
91裸聊视频淎nd some of those people don91裸聊视频檛 necessarily stay at the shelter but they use the food service for that sort of thing,91裸聊视频� he added.
The summertime typically sees the highest number of transient people visiting the homeless shelter, he said, but the farm workers often camp out, so they typically don91裸聊视频檛 use the shelter91裸聊视频檚 beds.
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Currently the shelter is operating at capacity, with 76 beds for men and 14 for women.
President of the B.C. Fruit Growers Association Bhupinder Dhaliwal was perplexed when he was asked why temporary farm workers are using the shelter91裸聊视频檚 resources.
91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 the first I91裸聊视频檝e heard about, I91裸聊视频檓 not sure why they would go there to use food services. They91裸聊视频檙e hired with a contract, they make an income,91裸聊视频� he said.
He was skeptical about the idea, saying they could be tourists.
91裸聊视频�(Farm workers) usually don91裸聊视频檛 travel91裸聊视频� they91裸聊视频檙e usually contracted with certain farms. There91裸聊视频檚 a lot of youth that come out from Quebec and they do help with the harvesting,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淎 late season may mean that workers might visit the shelter to get by for a few days, but 91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 not sure why they would be there.91裸聊视频�
Dhaliwal said there91裸聊视频檚 no food allowances in contracts, but temporary farm workers make around $13 an hour and work roughly 10-hour days.
He said he would look into the issue.
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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