Migrant farm workers are using the Gospel Mission香蕉视频直播檚 services, says the executive director of the shelter.
香蕉视频直播淲hat we see is people coming through with fruit picking (jobs) for the agricultural (sector) and historically what we香蕉视频直播檝e gotten is people from Quebec and (more) recently people from South America, Mexico and that area,香蕉视频直播� 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,香蕉视频直播� he said.
香蕉视频直播淎nd some of those people don香蕉视频直播檛 necessarily stay at the shelter but they use the food service for that sort of thing,香蕉视频直播� 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 don香蕉视频直播檛 use the shelter香蕉视频直播檚 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 shelter香蕉视频直播檚 resources.
香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 the first I香蕉视频直播檝e heard about, I香蕉视频直播檓 not sure why they would go there to use food services. They香蕉视频直播檙e hired with a contract, they make an income,香蕉视频直播� he said.
He was skeptical about the idea, saying they could be tourists.
香蕉视频直播�(Farm workers) usually don香蕉视频直播檛 travel香蕉视频直播� they香蕉视频直播檙e usually contracted with certain farms. There香蕉视频直播檚 a lot of youth that come out from Quebec and they do help with the harvesting,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淎 late season may mean that workers might visit the shelter to get by for a few days, but 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 not sure why they would be there.香蕉视频直播�
Dhaliwal said there香蕉视频直播檚 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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