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2024 Landscape Alberta Nursery Producers Auction Donation Form

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Landscape Alberta Nursery Producers Auction Donation Form 2024

Name(Required)
Mail to Landscape Alberta Nursery Producers Group, 18051 107 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5S 1K3. Cheques payable to Landscape Alberta.
Drop-Off Donation
Pick-Up Donation
Please upload photo(s) of your donation(s) AND your company logo.
Drop files here or
Max. file size: 614 MB.

    City of Calgary Water Crisis

    September 22, 2024

    Earlier this afternoon the City of Calgary announced all water restrictions are lifted and normal indoor and outdoor water use can resume.  This is approximately 1 week ahead of original schedule.  Thank you to City staff and contractors for your efforts throughout the water crisis.

    Hopefully we have a strong month of good weather remaining to get as much work done as possible.   The non-potable water stations will cease operation at 19:00 today.

    This signals the end of formal restrictions in 2024.  Landscape Alberta will now shift the focus of our interactions with the City of Calgary to recovery efforts and lessons learned that will be useful in updating the water-use bylaw in the coming months.

    We are also collecting ideas from industry on ways the City of Calgary can offer businesses impacted by the water crisis.  – https://www.instagram.com/p/C_yYHRJyMl-/  or email yycwater@landscape-alberta.com with your ideas to help ease the pain and/or help with recovery.

    September 12, 2024

    City of Calgary announced today that construction is ahead of schedule.  Repair will be complete by end of this weekend.  Water filling of the water main will begin on Monday, and take approximately 3 days while they also conduct water quality testing as they aim for full system restoration for September 21/22nd.
    This is approximately 1 week ahead of original schedule.  There might still be delays due to weather or other construction issues.
    In the meantime, The City is opening a 4th location at Graves Bridge for commercial access only. This site will open September 12th starting at 5AM. There will be no residential pick-up at this location .
    • Graves Bridge (Map Link)
    • Hours of Operation 5AM-7PM, 7 days a week
    We are also collecting ideas from industry on ways the City of Calgary can offer businesses impacted by the water crisis.  – https://www.instagram.com/p/C_yYHRJyMl-/  or email yycwater@landscape-alberta.com with your ideas to help ease the pain and/or help with recovery.

    September 3, 2024

    Calgary Water Crisis Update - Labour Day 

     Stage 4 water restrictions continue and as such no outdoor watering is permitted with potable water from a City of Calgary source.   

     Landscape Alberta’s advocacy around the free water pumping stations for commercial users appears to have been successful with an additional water pumping location added and additional stations and connection types at each location, which has resulted in little to no wait times.  This of course only serves a portion of the industry.   

    On September 3rd, the City of Calgary announced changes to pumping procedures that have resulted in additional daily capacity.  We’ve engaged with the City already to discuss the potential of movement to Stage 3 water restrictions given this news.  Ongoing, we continue to request financial support for impacted businesses and will work with the City in their review of the water use by-law to ensure equitable treatment for landscape / horticultural businesses in the updates. 

    August 28, 2024

    We are now two full days into the outdoor water restrictions.  It appears usage is still well above the target goal, and thus the lack of capacity to reopen the discussion about an exemption for landscape plantings and construction.
    The first two days for water pumping appears to be going well with the additional location, plus extra pumps at each location.  Wait times have been minimum.  With the majority of use being from landscape customers (100% on the first day).
    The City of Calgary has offered to set up an additional site at Douglasdale that would be open to smaller tanks (less than 5000gal) if wait times arise.  The setup for this new site will take more than a week for approvals, signage, staffing, etc.  We need to know from industry if this needed or not – email yycwater@landscape-alberta.com and comment whether or not you would use this station.
    We continue to advocate for relief for the landscape sector in Calgary, including relaxing of restrictions when possible and financial compensation to impacted companies.
    More info to follow.

    August 23, 2024

    Please see the below message from the City of Calgary regarding the implementation of Stage 4 Restrictions beginning at 12:01 am on August 26th.

    Landscape Alberta has been working very hard to find solutions to this devastating scenario for many in the Calgary landscape industry. This included requesting equitable treatment for business operations, including special allowances for watering for establishment periods and for construction. Given the current bylaw language, and the real fear of system collapse (including boil water orders between now and spring 2025) we have been working with the City in other ways.

    This includes expansion of the water pumping locations to include longer hours, more stations with more hookup sizes, and a priority for business use. Those waiting on CCC and FAC inspections may see more lenience in plant material quality.

    The City of Calgary has also committed to working with Landscape Alberta and it’s members on updates to the water usage bylaw in the near future. This will be an important phase that we can ensure more equitable treatment for our industry for the important work we do.   

    Please see yesterday’s email for a more detailed look at the ongoing efforts, and feel free to send suggestions, thoughts, rants, your story to yycwater@landscape-alberta.com so we can continue to advocate on your behalf. 

    ———

    As you may have heard in the media, The City is preparing to undertake urgent repairs of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main to maintain the health and stability of Calgary’s water system. To complete these repairs, we must once again take the Bearspaw South Feeder Main out of service. 

    Unfortunately, this means that starting on Monday August 26th at 12:01 am we need a temporary return to Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions. We will also be asking businesses and residents to limit their indoor water use like we did in June. This work is expected to be complete by the end of September. 

    About Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions  

    Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions prohibits all outdoor potable water use including:  

    • Watering lawns, gardens, flowers, trees, and shrubs using city water 
    • Washing down any outdoor surfaces, including exterior building surfaces, windows, sidewalks, driveways, or walkways of any sort (unless your business requires it for health and safety reasons) 
    • Filling outdoor decorative features, fountains, pools, or hot tubs  
    • Using potable water for construction purposes such as grading, compaction, or dust control.  

    Non-potable river water pick-up locations 

    During these Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, The City will be reopening non-potable river water pick up locations with designated hours to support businesses and residents.    

    Non-potable water will be available for collection from three sites beginning August 26th: 

    Hours of operation will be 5am to 7pm daily for commercial use, and 4pm to 7pm daily for residential use. 

    Indoor water use reductions 

    In addition to the Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, we are also asking residents and businesses to reduce their indoor water use by 25 per cent to ensure that we have enough water to meet essential needs until the repairs are complete.     

    About the upcoming repairs 

    After the initial June break and hot spot repairs were completed and the feeder main returned to service, we used a device called a PipeDiver to do an inspection of the entire length of the feeder main, which is 10.4 kilometres.  

    Our teams have been working alongside external experts to analyze the PipeDiver data. The data has revealed several new locations that need urgent repair. Some of these spots need to be repaired during this upcoming repair phase, while others will be addressed in our medium-to-long-term pipe rehabilitation plans.  

    While the repairs are being completed, the Bearspaw South Feeder Main will be offline. Without this feeder main, Calgary’s available supply of treated water is greatly diminished. We need to work together to ensure enough water remains available for everyone, as well as for critical uses like hospitals and firefighting. 

    Timing of the repairs 

    These new repair locations are places where we are concerned that the pipe is at risk of breaking in the near term. These repairs will maintain service until a comprehensive rehabilitation plan is implemented. 

    Timing was also influenced by the need to reduce reliance on the Glenmore Treatment Plant before winter water storage becomes critical in September. It’s important to understand that these repairs are planned, preventive, measures to maintain the pipe’s integrity until long-term solutions are finalized. 

    Please visit calgary.ca/watermainbreak for regular updates. You can also visit calgary.ca/savewateratwork for tips on how your business sector can conserve water. 

    August 22 – Update on City of Calgary Water Crisis

    It’s been a busy week as with rush towards August 26th.  The letter to the Mayor / Press release from last week has led to serious interaction with Council, City staff, the media, industry and the public.

    The Landscape Alberta working group continues to work towards meaningful solutions to the crisis for industry.  It has become clearer this week that the City lacks the ability to grant our request for exemption to Stage 3 for the landscape industry.  We’ve gathered data that suggest the landscape industry for new plantings and construction activity only would consume approximately 3.95 mega liters per day, or about 1% of the total restricted volume.  The current water use bylaw does not allow for exemption of one industry, as it only describes usage.  Combined with many other requests to the City, the cumulative total of potential exempt water use would put the system at real risk of failure.

    What we’ve heard back.

    1. Additional water stations with additional pumps will be added starting August 26th with a focus on contractor usage.
      • Sites include Baker Park, Odgen and now Bankside in Fish Creek.
      • Non-city stormwater ponds can be used for up to 6,250 cubic metres of water if provincial guidelines are met.
    2. The process for CCC and FAC cannot be granted a blanket exemption, but the City does offer to view sites based on the lack of water access this year as a mitigating factor in granting approvals.
    3. Air is unable to be used for testing irrigation systems due the inspection standards required.

    What we have asked for as additional support from the City of Calgary.

    1. Increased pumping locations and expanded hours of operation (5:00-22:00 daily)
    2. A permit system to allow for turf projects above 1000 sqft to be established. Would require registration/approval.
    3. Access to grant funds or tax rebates to assist companies in the additional costs of operations, including labour/equipment.
    4. Additional support for the water alternatives message and the importance of green infrastructure – we are the original environmentalists and not wasteful with water as some might have been led to believe.

    Landscape Alberta will continue to advocate on behalf of the entire landscape industry in a professional and productive manner.  We understand frustrations are sky high right now, but we also need to ensure a healthy relationship with City administration as we move into consultations on the water use bylaw and other policy.   The future decisions will have long reaching and lasting impacts on the industry, and we need to be sure a more favourable position for the landscape sector.  After August 26th, we will work with City officials to monitor the ongoing water usage to evaluate if the actual consumption changes such that our original requests might be revisited.

    What can you do?

    1. Please direct feedback to City of Calgary Staff to yycwater@landscape-alberta.com instead of directly to staff contacts.  We’ve had reports of unproductive, unprofessional language – which is frankly unacceptable.
    2. Write your councillor / Mayor and thank them for being responsive. Ask for additional support, including the items above.
    3. Plan for extra time, extra hours, and work that doesn’t involve water (if there is any of that left) or look to projects outside City limits.
    4. Find water totes to outfit your trucks and trailers with the ability to take advantage of water pumping and hauling options.
    5. Educate customers about alternative methods to assist with watering with non-potable water sources and the impacts they can have to keeping their landscape projects successful.
    6. Pray for enough rain for the plants, but not so much that any time is lost on work.

     

    Landscape Alberta is deeply concerned for the well-being of its Calgary based member companies and their employees’ livelihoods if they are unable to work through another round of stage 4 water restrictions.  The City of Calgary will essentially shut down an entire industry during one of the busiest points of the year, approximately 20% of all planting is done in September each year. 

    With immediate repairs required by the City of Calgary they have all but ended the landscape season for many in the area.   Nearly 50% of the 2024 landscape season will now be lost.  Most companies are reporting the need for widespread layoffs (40-60% of staff). 

    We are asking the Mayor Gondek, City Council, and staff to please find a solution that will keep us working to make Calgary a green place to live, work and play. 

    Landscape Alberta has requested the following main items: 

    1. The landscape industry be permitted to operate at Stage 3 rules regarding watering for establishment of new plants and for construction activities (i.e. pouring and cutting concrete)
    2. Remove all water restrictions ahead of shutdown to allow for increased watering schedules.
    3. Amend city inspection standards and practices to allow for projects to be completed this year. (thus, unlocking progress or completion payments that would otherwise be delayed 6 months)

    Resources

    Letter to Mayor Gondek

    Press Release – Calgary landscape industry is drowning

    Social Media Stories (Click to download or scroll to save images to your device)

    Call to Action one pager for print and display

    Change.org Petition https://chng.it/g552M9S4BQ Have your family, friends, staff, suppliers, customers sign this petition to show support for an industry on the verge of disaster.

     

    Message template: 

    Dear [Name], 

    My name is [Author Name], I work/own [XYZ Landscaping] in Calgary, AB.  We employee [123] people each year and as a small business collectively make up the heart of the Calgary economy.  This year has been very difficult with the ongoing water crisis.  News of a further ban on outdoor water use in September is devastating. 

    The inability to water new plantings for establishment or complete construction projects through September will have the following impacts on my company. 1) $ value or % of sales lost, 2) number of or % people to lay off 3) other impacts. 

    I encourage you to work with Landscape Alberta, the trade association for professional landscapers, to find a solution that will help save my business and the jobs of my peers and friends. 

    Sincerely,  

    [Author Name] 

    [Author Company] 

    What You Can Do

    City Contacts:

    Mayor Jyoti Gondek – themayor@calgary.ca 

    Ward 1 Sonya Sharp – sonya.sharp@calgary.ca 

    Ward 2 Jennifer Wyness – jennifer.wyness@calgary.ca 

    Ward 3 Jasmine Mian – jasmine.mian@calgary.ca 

    Ward 4 Sean Chu – sean.chu@calgary.ca 

    Ward 5 Raj Dhaliwal – raj.dhaliwal@calgary.ca 

    Ward 6 Richard Pootmans – richard.pootmans@calgary.ca 

    Ward 7 Terry Wong – terry.wong@calgary.ca 

    Ward 8 Courtney Walcott – courtney.walcott@calgary.ca 

    Ward 9 Gian-Carlo Carra – gian-carlo.carra@calgary.ca 

    Ward 10 Andre Chabot – andre.chabot@calgary.ca 

    Ward 11 Kourtney Penner – kourtney.penner@calgary.ca 

    Ward 12 Evan Spencer – evan.spencer@calgary.ca 

    Ward 13 Dan McLean – dan.mclean@calgary.ca 

    Ward 14 Peter Demong – peter.demong@calgary.ca 

    Six tips for photographing landscapes with your phone

    Six tips for photographing landscapes with your phone

    By Stuart Service, CNLA Media Coordinator

    The most challenging part of landscape photography is figuring out how to translate what we see into a picture. It happens to me all the time; I walk through the forest taking a whole mess of photos, and then when I check them out later think to myself, “these just don’t show enough of what I saw.”

    If you’re finding that photos of a client’s garden don't seem to show off the beauty of what you see, here are a few tips that might help troubleshoot through this dilemma. These are also the most common smartphone-photography hiccups I’ve come across when going through the collection of photos of the projects being considered for National Awards of Landscape Excellence.

    Make sure your phone’s camera is on its best settings

    A brand new cell phone out of the box is usually on its default, middle-of-the-road setting. This means the photos will be a size and quality that’s probably good enough to text to a friend. However, we’ve got award-winning ambitions, and a textable pic ain’t going to cut the mustard! We need to capture photos that are big and detailed enough to show off outstanding work to multiple judges. In the example above, I found the maxed-out settings of my phone when selecting the aspect ratio, 4:3 48MP (megapixels), resulting in photos with substantially better quality and a file size ten times bigger than the default settings. Every phone has its own technical personality to contend with, so what worked for me to max out the settings might not be the same for your phone. Go into your camera’s settings and make sure it’s set to the highest resolution available so that 100% of hardware is in use.

    Clean the lens

    If your pictures have similar, foggy lighting as above, there’s probably a fingerprint smudging up the lens. A quick wipe with your shirt is enough to remove fingerprints and grease. The fix to this problem doesn’t need to be fancy as smartphone camera lenses are built for wear and tear and are scratch resistant.

     

    Is it the right time for pictures?

           

    The picture on the left was taken midafternoon during a sunny day, creating dark shadows around much of the plant material. The picture on the right was taken during a cloudy day and, although the trees are still casting some shadows, the lighting is a lot more consistent throughout this landscape, improving visibility of all the plant material and hardscaping.

    The best time for photos is when the sun is just peaking over the horizon in the early morning or late afternoon, or anytime during cloudy overcast conditions. During those three moments, the daylight is diffused, softer, and less likely to create a harsh, contrasty look. Taking pictures in the afternoon might lead to disappointing results as the sun is exceptionally bright, creating too dramatic a lighting difference between the shaded and full sun areas of the garden. Another tip, especially when taking photos of gardens with lots of blooming plant material, is to take the photos in mid-July to early August when most plants are their most established.

    Compose the photo before taking it, and make minor crop adjustments to refine that composition

    Think of every photo as though it’s a grid of nine rectangles. Whatever you consider to be the neatest part of the landscape – and in the case of the above photo at Riverside Park in Guelph, ON, I chose that circular garden in the back – make sure that focal point is located a little to the left or a little to the right of the picture. That’s the only factor I was really paying attention to when taking the above photo, and everything else just seemed to fall right into place, with the pathways and trees leading the viewer’s eye across the photo. I cropped the photo a little bit more to align the interlock path with the bottom-third of the image because I’m fussy like that. Take lots of pictures – try the same photo in different ways. Crouch down, get low to the ground to try a different vantage point, turning the focal point this time to be the complex interlock or a nice collection of shrubs in the foreground. Then try another angle by getting up onto a stepladder or walking up a hill to get high enough to see more of the landscape in the picture.

    Don’t pinch your screen – zoom in with your feet!

    A cell phone camera doesn’t have that same zoom capability as certain DSLR lenses or broadcast video cameras. By pinching out on your screen to zoom in, the picture is being stretched. The above photo would look a whole lot better had I just walked 30 feet closer, instead of zooming in from where I stood, stretching out the pixels, and turning this otherwise decently composed photograph into something distractingly grainy.

    Tidy up the property

    Make sure the garden is looking its best by removing weeds and dead foliage from both the plants and the lawn. It's always a joy when an animal wanders into the frame while taking landscape photos though, so Muffin, my parents’ Havanese puppy, hopefully stays right where she is after I clean up the debris.

    A collection of quality landscape photos is the essential step to having spectacular work considered when applying to a provincial association’s annual awards program. No matter what kind of smartphone you have currently, the potential to take a nice landscape photo is less about hardware, than it is about being mindful of composition, lighting, and cleanliness of the area. With those factors in mind, and with a little bit of practice, you’ll be well on your way to putting the best foot forward when photographing your completed landscape projects.

     

    Original print Summer 2022, Green for Life magazine

    Sign-up for City of Calgary Water Disruption Updates

    If the current water restrictions are impacting your business in the Calgary area and you want to ensure you receive up-to-date information, including what Landscape Alberta is doing on your behalf, please sign up below.

    By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Business Name. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

    Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Found in Vancouver

    The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB - Agrilus planipennis) in the City of Vancouver, British Columbia. These detections, which are outside of currently regulated areas for emerald ash borer in Canada, are the first detections of EAB larvae in BC.

    Emerald ash borer is a highly destructive insect that attacks and kills ash trees (Fraxinus sp.). It is a federally regulated pest in Canada. EAB is currently found in parts of six provinces and is spreading to new areas via the movement of firewood and ash material (such as logs, branches and wood chips). This pest poses no threat to human health.

    The CFIA has put movement restrictions in place to protect Canada's landscape and economy by preventing the spread of emerald ash borer to non-infested areas of Canada. Effective April 2024, the movement of all ash material such as logs, branches, and woodchips, and all species of firewood from the affected sites, is restricted. The property owners in the affected area have been notified of these restrictions.

    Infested ash trees in North America generally die after two to three years, but heavily infested trees have been observed to die after only one year of beetle attack. In Alberta the number of ash trees growing in municipalities can often reach as high as 40%!

    EAB is not listed under the Agricultural Pests Act (APA) making it difficult to prevent and control EAB in Alberta. Having a pest named on the act empowers urban and rural municipalities to enforce control measures under the authority of the APA.  Landscape Alberta along with other stakeholders like STOPDED, ISA Prairie Chapter, Alberta Parks & Recreation Association (APRA) and others will be asking for immediate action from the Provincial government to help protect the nursery industry and Alberta’s urban forests.

    Federal Carbon Tax Rebate for Small Businesses

    Budget 2024 launches the new Canada Carbon Rebate for Small Businesses
    This new refundable tax credit will urgently return proceeds from the price on pollution from 2019-20 through 2023-24 to an estimated 600,000 businesses, with 499 or fewer employees, in provinces where the federal backstop applies. This would deliver over $2.5 billion directly to these small- and medium-sized businesses. The only requirement to receive the automatic, ongoing direct payments is for eligible business to file their taxes. To be eligible for the 2019-20 to 2023-24 payments, the deadline to file a tax return is July 15, 2024.
     https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2024/04/budget-2024-growing-canadas-small-businesses.html

    2023 Landscape Award Winners Announced

    On April 4, we celebrated the winners of the 2023 Landscape Alberta Landscape Awards in Calgary. Each year, we see beautiful, well-designed landscapes that truly showcase the best this industry has to offer. This year we had 32 entries with 12 winners in the Merit category and 6 winners in the Excellence category.

    We congratulate 2023 winners: Alpha Better Landscaping Inc., Delta Valley Landscaping Services Ltd.

    Jenron Creative Landscapes, JVR Landscape (2006) Inc., MaisonScapes, OnGrowing Works Ltd., Blue Isle Contracting, Planta Landscape Inc., Your Space by Design Inc., Salisbury Landscaping, Seven M Construction Ltd., and Bradbosh Landscaping.

    We would like to thank this year’s volunteer judges for taking their assignment seriously and giving so generously of their time and expertise: Jeff Wilson, Mark Janzen, Jeff Campbell, Steve Kletke, John van Roessel, Raymond Vincent, Steve Birch, Tyler Grant and Maria Galdon.

    We would also like to congratulate those who have been nominated for the 2024 National Awards of Landscape Excellence through the CNLA: Planta Landscape Inc., Your Space by Design Inc., Seven M Construction Ltd and Ongrowing Works Ltd. Best of luck to this year’s nominees!

    Follow us on Instagram for photos of the award-winning projects over the coming weeks.

    The 2024 Awards Package is now available for download. Once again, all active members of Landscape Alberta get their first entry for free! If you have any questions on the awards program, contact Kyla at kyla.hardon@landscape-alberta.com.

    TFWP – Wage Updates

    Wage data from Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey is used to inform the administration of the TFW Program. Each year, the data on provincial and territorial median wages is used to determine whether a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application falls under the Low-Wage or High-Wage Stream. Employers must submit their application under the stream for low-wage positions if they offer a wage that is below the provincial or territorial median hourly wage for the position requested in the LMIA. Alternatively they should submit their application under the stream for high-wage positions if the wage offered is at or above the provincial or territorial median hourly wage.  

    As a reminder, each TFW Program stream holds specific requirements and responsibilities for employers, such as recruitment efforts, working conditions, employment duration, provision of housing and transportation, and worker protections. These requirements are designed to recognize the labour market impacts of hiring temporary foreign workers in certain occupations and industries.  

    The updated median hourly wages by province and territory for 2024 are now available online and are effective as of today, April 2, 2024. On or after this date, employers must ensure that they submit their LMIA application under the appropriate stream, using the updated median hourly wage, and also ensure that they comply with the requirements specific to the applicable Program stream. It is important to note that the LMIA Online Portal will be updated automatically as of April 2, 2024.  

    You are encouraged to share this communication throughout your respective networks, and with any colleagues or partners who may need to be aware of this information.  

    If you have questions about the TFW Program, please visit Canada.ca or communicate with the Employer Contact Centre. 

    Wage Survey 2024 – Input Wanted!

    ATTENTION! All Active Landscape Alberta Members!

    The 2024 landscape horticulture industry wage survey is out, and your participation is crucial. Thanks to our streamlined process, it's now easier than ever to complete.

    We need your help. The CNLA (Canadian Nursery Landscape Association) is taking on a vital initiative to collect comprehensive data on wages across all horticulture sectors in every region of the country.  Participation is easy and confidential. All data is presented in summary form only, individual responses will not be accessible except for the process of data compilation. Simply complete the survey questionnaire with accurate information reflecting your organization's wage practices. We suggest having your current hourly wage allocations handy, as this will save you time.

    Responses will be combined and made confidential to protect your privacy and ensure the accuracy and security of the data.

    Participating in this survey guarantees you a FREE summary of the results/trends (valued at $149).  Industry members who do not participate will be required to pay for full access to the final report.

    Your input is crucial to shaping industry standards. Let's make a difference together!

    Why participate? 🤔

    Support for Members (employers): Access to accurate wage data helps employers maintain competitiveness, attract talent, and foster a supportive work environment.  Being able to benchmark your wages and benefits in your area will help ensure the leaders in our industry continue to be recognized as the best places to work.

    Inform Decision Making: Your input directly shapes industry standards and benchmarks, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of labour market dynamics and enabling us to identify trends, gaps, and opportunities on behalf of the industry.

    Up to date Compensation: Your input helps ensure accurate compensation practices, promoting equitable wages and benefits that reflect the value of skills and contributions across different roles while recognizing the economic realities in your area and sector.

    Community Impact: Your participation strengthens the industry's collective voice, advocating for policies and initiatives that benefit employers and support workers.

    Together, let's build a robust understanding of wage dynamics in the industry to drive positive change and support the growth and prosperity of our sector.

    Thank you for your commitment to advancing the interests of members and their workforce!

    For any inquiries or assistance, please contact:
    Anne Kadwell, CLHT - Landscape & Retail Sector Specialist
    anne@canadanursery.com

    Changes to VISA requirements – CORRECTION

    CORRECTION - Visa for Mexican Workers

    Correction on Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and electronic travel authorization (eTA) requirements for Mexican citizens

    As of 11:30 p.m. ET, on February 29, 2024, Mexican citizens will need to meet new requirements to travel to Canada:

    • You need to meet new requirements to be eligible for an eTA.
    • If you already have an eTA, it will automatically be cancelled, unless you also have a valid work permit or study permit.
    • If you have an eTA application in progress, you will need to apply for a new eTA or for a TRV.
    • Before you travel to Canada, you will need to apply for a new eTA (if eligible).
    • If you’re not eligible for an eTA anymore, you need to apply for a TRV to travel to Canada.

    These changes apply even if you already booked your travel. Having pre-booked travel plans or a previously valid eTA does not guarantee you will be approved for a new eTA or a TRV. Learn more about the new requirements.

    You may be eligible to have your eTA reactivated. To find out if you are eligible

    • send us a web form request
    • complete all required fields
    • include the code “EMVR2024” in the text box

    If you are not eligible to have your eTA reactivated, you will need to submit a new eTA application based on the new requirements or a visitor visa application. If you’re not sure if you need an eTA or a visa, answer some questions to find out.

    Work Permit - Applying Outside Canada

    A work permit is usually required to work in Canada on a temporary basis. If your intention prior to come to Canada is to work in our labour market, then it is important to apply for this document before your arrival to Canada.

    How to apply

    To apply, please visit our website.

    Helpful tips

    • The Instruction Guide and the Document Checklist will provide you with all the information necessary to help you submit a complete application.
    • Depending on your intended occupation and length of employment in Canada, you may be requested to undergo a medical examination.
    • Have your documents ready, as you may be asked to attend an interview or send further information.

    Please visit our processing times page to find out how long it may take to process your application.

    Application processing times

    Our processing times show how long it took us to process most applications in the past for each application type. As we process more applications and clear our inventories, the numbers will change. The numbers shown may not reflect how long it will take us to process an application you submit today.

    Since the Check application processing times page is updated regularly, we invite you to consult it often to get the most recent information.

    For more information, please visit our website to find out how we calculate processing times.

    ESDC Fact Sheet - Mexico Workers English FINAL

    March 8 2024 ESDC Employer Stakeholder Session - QAs ENG (003)

    March 8 2024 ESDC Worker Session - Deck_EN