The non-profit organization Justice for Migrant Workers is raising concerns about the proposed bylaw in Kingsville for Boarding, Lodging and Rooming Houses.
The Town of Kingsville proposed the changes to the bylaw after a Temporary Farm Working Housing study was completed in 2022.
"The licensing regime that's been suggested is a positive step, as well as making sure that there's distance between workers and agricultural use facilities and pesticides and things like that because those are concerns that workers have raised," said Taneeta Doma a volunteer with the Justice for Migrant Workers organization.
The bylaw proposes three sub-categories with a maximum number of people per space provided.
The bylaw would also require all new Boarding, Lodging, and Rooming Houses to provide additional amenity spaces for workers and separation from operational facilities.
The Justice for Migrant Workers organization says it would like to see the bylaw go further to protect workers' rights.
"If there are no enforcement measures to actually make sure that those requirements are followed, we're concerned that there's not going to be any change, even when this bylaw is implemented," said Doma.
The organization would also like to see more protection for workers who speak up about the conditions in the housing.
"We know that workers are often the ones that are speaking up and then are terminated and removed from Canada as a result. So we want to see anti-reprisal measures to make sure workers are actually protected," said Doma.
Two public information sessions were held Thursday to discuss the proposed bylaw. There will be another meeting in September before the matter goes before Kingsville council for final approval.
