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Take the Pledge for Migrant Farm Worker Safety

Road Safety for All Pledge

A pledge for Niagara municipal candidates

Road Safety for All

Everyone deserves the freedom to move safely through their community. Migrant farm workers are asking candidates to commit to practical action so that every worker can get to work, reach essential services and return home safely.

Take the pledge Read the commitments

Freedom of mobility

Road safety is about the freedom to live a full life.

Freedom of mobility means being able to travel between work, home, grocery stores, health care, legal services and community without risking your life.

For many migrant farm workers, there is little or no public transit. Workers may have no choice but to walk or cycle on dark rural roads without safe shoulders, bike lanes, crossings or lighting to get privacy and access basic needs.

They have names

These deaths and injuries are part of a pattern.

At least seven migrant farm workers have been killed or seriously injured on Niagara roads since 2019. Behind that number are workers, neighbours, friends and family members.

2026

Sinhue Garcia

Sinhue was killed while cycling home on Concession 6 near Line 4 in Niagara-on-the-Lake. He was 39 years old and leaves behind his wife and two daughters in Mexico.

2019

Zenaida

Zenaida, a Mexican farm worker and mother, was killed in a hit-and-run in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

2022

Fermin Soto Sanchez and two co-workers

Fermin was killed and two of his co-workers were seriously injured when they were struck near St. Catharines.

2022

Ceto Reid

Ceto, a Jamaican farm worker, was seriously injured while cycling home from a laundromat.

2023

Omar

Omar, a migrant farm worker, was injured in a hit-and-run on Lakeshore Road.

Sinhue Garcia was a neighbour, a co-worker, a friend and a father. He deserved to get home safely. So does every migrant worker who comes to Niagara to work.

The Road Safety for All Pledge

Candidates who sign commit to:

Working with migrant farm workers, community members, municipal staff and regional partners to advance the following actions.

  1. Create and fund a migrant farm worker road safety plan

    Support multi-year funding for improved lighting, protected shoulders or bike lanes, traffic calming, safer crossings and lower speeds on routes used by workers.

  2. Complete a worker-led road safety audit and map

    Ensure migrant farm workers directly identify dangerous roads, routes and destinations and help set priorities for action.

  3. Put worker-identified routes into municipal and regional plans

    Use transportation and master planning processes to prioritize routes identified by migrant workers.

  4. Assign responsibility and report publicly on progress

    Identify a lead Niagara Region staff person and provide at least two public reports to council each year: one before and one after the height of the agricultural season from May to September.

  5. Ensure migrant worker housing is safe and dignified

    Support proactive inspections through Niagara Region Public Health, including access to basic facilities, privacy, adequate space and protection from unsafe conditions.

  6. Call for a coroner’s inquest

    Publicly support an investigation into migrant farm worker road deaths and serious injuries in Niagara.

  7. Meet directly with migrant farm workers

    Hold direct meetings with workers and release a public implementation plan during the first year of the new council.

What happens next

Residents will know where candidates stand.

We will publish how candidates respond to this pledge on this website. Please check back for updates.

For municipal candidates

Sign the pledge

Add your name to publicly commit to the Road Safety for All Pledge and to working directly with migrant farm workers on implementation.

By signing, you commit to supporting all seven actions listed above.

Your contact information will be used to confirm your response and communicate with you about the pledge. Only information you have agreed to make public should be published.

Candidate pledge form

Please complete the form below. We will follow up to confirm your response.

Are you an Undocumented Care Worker in Toronto? Join Our Meeting.

Join a private and confidential meeting for undocumented care workers.

Request an invitation

Meeting details

Saturday, August 8
3:00–5:00 p.m.
In person in Toronto

The location will be shared only with people who are invited and confirmed to attend.

Who is this meeting for?

This meeting is for people who:

  • Live in the City of Toronto
  • Do not currently have valid immigration status in Canada
  • Currently work or have previously worked in care

The criteria for this meeting were set by the City of Toronto, which is funding this project.

Space is limited. We will review responses and contact people who are invited.

People who are invited and attend the full two-hour meeting will receive:

  • A $50 gift card
  • Food
  • PRESTO fare

Come meet other care workers and talk about:

  • Access to health care, housing, transit and other City services
  • What support undocumented care workers need
  • Problems at work, including low wages, unpaid wages, abuse or unfair treatment
  • Immigration status, permits and access to permanent residency
  • What needs to change in Toronto and across Canada

Your experiences will help us identify the changes, services and resources undocumented care workers need. We will also share information about services and support available in Toronto.

Need support or do not meet the criteria?

Contact us for support , join us as a member or call 437-518-8662.

Request an invitation

Share your information below. We will contact you if you are invited and send you the meeting location.

Request an invitation

Farm Workers

Petition: Justice for Sinhue Garcia. Safer roads and support for migrant workers now.

Urgent action: Tell Niagara, Ontario and Canada to act before more migrant workers are hurt or killed.
Justice for Sinhue Garcia

Safer roads and support for migrant workers now.

Sinhue Garcia, a migrant farmworker from Mexico, was killed while riding his bicycle in rural Niagara-on-the-Lake. He leaves behind a wife, two children, and many loved ones. He is not the first. At least six other migrant farmworkers have been killed or seriously injured on Niagara roads in recent years.

Send the email now

We grieve with Sinhue’s family, friends, co-workers, and the migrant worker community. But his death is not an isolated tragedy.

Migrant farmworkers keep Niagara’s farms, greenhouses, wineries, restaurants, and food system running. Too many have no choice but to travel long rural roads by bike or on foot, often at night, without safe transportation, wide shoulders, bike lanes, proper lighting, or access to public transit.

This is a public safety crisis and reflects serious gaps in road infrastructure, housing, workplace protections, and political responsibility.

We are calling for action at every level of government.

  • Safer roads and transportation, including lighting, protected shoulders and bike lanes, lower speeds, and traffic calming.
  • Worker-led road safety planning, with dangerous routes identified by workers, acted on, and publicly reported.
  • Safe and dignified housing, with stronger standards and enforcement.
  • More control over work schedules and protection from reprisals, so workers can make decisions about their own safety.
  • A coroner’s inquest, compensation, and support for injured workers and families of workers who die in Canada.
  • Permanent resident status so migrant workers can speak up, change jobs, and exercise their rights without fear.

Migrant workers are not disposable. They are our neighbours, co-workers, friends, and community members. They deserve to live with dignity.

Send an email now to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Region, Ontario, Canada, and election candidates.

This petition is co-hosted by Niagara Community Legal Clinic, Migrant Workers Alliance for Change and other local migrant worker organizations.

Migrant workers feed our communities, care for our families, and keep the economy running. Safe roads, safe work, support and permanent resident status cannot wait.

Recent immigration changes: Free online information session

Rumours. False announcements. Lies. What’s going on with immigration changes in Canada these days?!

Join us on June 10 for a free online information session just for migrants like you. Let’s break through the noise together to get the facts, and learn how migrants are uniting to take action against unfair immigration rules to win permanent status for all.

What we’ll cover:

  • Recent TR to PR announcement
  • Changes to Express Entry
  • What to do if your permit is expiring
  • & more

Don’t miss out! Sign up now and invite a friend:

Farm Workers

Help Jamaican Farm Workers Recover from Devastating Hurricane

It’s been over half a year since Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful hurricane to ever hit Jamaica, tore a path of destruction through the island. Many migrant farmworker families remain homeless and a number of communities still don’t have electricity restored, relying on expensive generators and battery-operated devices for power. The agricultural areas of the island got hit the hardest, impacting access to fresh food and driving up grocery prices.

What Your Donation Will Support

100% of all contributions go directly to farmworker families’ immediate needs:

  • Emergency food and clean water supplies
  • Critical medications and medical supplies
  • Temporary shelter and urgent roof repairs
  • Flood recovery and debris removal
  • Other immediate costs as needed

About This Effort

Migrant Workers Alliance for Change is providing direct support to Jamaican farm worker members impacted by the devastating storm. Many of these workers split their time between Canada and Jamaica as part of seasonal agricultural programs, and they’re facing this crisis both in Canada and now in Jamaica.

Your contribution goes directly to migrant workers and their families who need it most. No administrative fees, just direct relief.

How to Help

Donate Now

Suggested amounts:

  • $100 – Provides emergency food supplies for one family
  • $300 – Funds urgent roof repairs to prevent further damage
  • $500 – Comprehensive support including food, clothing, medicine, and shelter repairs
  • Other amount – Every dollar makes a difference

Why This Matters

These are the same workers who help feed Canada. When disaster strikes their communities, they deserve our support. The combination of destroyed infrastructure and disrupted income means families are struggling to meet basic needs.

Share this campaign: Help us reach more supporters by sharing on social media

Migrant Summer: Status Now!

Join an action this June

This summer, migrant workers are facing extreme heat, unsafe housing, stolen wages, permit expiries, and growing racism — while governments cut access to permanent residency and give themselves more power over migrants’ lives.

Migrants are tired, stressed, and under attack. But we are not staying silent. From New Brunswick to Toronto to Niagara, we are coming together to demand permanent resident status and equal rights for all.

As the summer gets hotter, so will our struggle.

RSVP on this page See all events

Upcoming events

Sunday, June 14

Toronto Art Build

Join us for an in-person Art Build at the MWAC office to create signs, banners, songs, and other materials together for the June 28 Toronto bus caravan to Niagara.

Time: 2:00pm to 5:00pm
Location: MWAC office, 720 Spadina Ave.
Food: Food will be provided
RSVP: Use the Toronto form below
RSVP for the Art Build
Sunday, June 28

Toronto Bus Caravan to Niagara

Meet outside the MWAC office and travel together by bus to join migrant farmworkers and supporters in Niagara.

Meet: 11:30am for bus decoration
Location: Outside MWAC offices, 720 Spadina Avenue
Bus Registration Closed!
Sunday, June 28

Niagara Action

Join migrant farmworkers and supporters in Niagara for food, marching, and collective action.

Time: 3:00pm
Location: Virgil / Niagara-on-the-Lake area
Exact address: Sent after RSVP
RSVP for Niagara
Sunday, June 28

New Brunswick Bike Caravan

Migrant workers and supporters in New Brunswick will take action together as part of Migrant Summer.

Time: 2:00pm
Location: Parc Pascal-Poirier Park, 378 Main St, Shediac, NB E4P2B4 CA
RSVP for New Brunswick

RSVP on this page

Choose the event you want to attend. Each RSVP form is embedded below, so you do not need to leave this page.

Toronto Art Build + Bus Caravan June 14 art build at MWAC and June 28 Toronto bus caravan to Niagara. Niagara Action June 28 action with migrant farmworkers and supporters. New Brunswick Bike Caravan June 28 bike caravan in New Brunswick.

RSVP: Toronto Art Build + Bus Caravan to Niagara

Use this form to RSVP for the Sunday, June 14 Art Build at the MWAC office from 2:00pm to 5:00pm, and for the June 28 bus caravan from Toronto to Niagara. Food will be provided at the Art Build.

RSVP: Niagara Action

Use this form if you are going directly to the Niagara action on June 28.

RSVP: New Brunswick Bike Caravan

Use this form for the June 28 New Brunswick bike caravan.

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Order Form for Informational Workbooks for Seasonal Workers

Migrant Workers Alliance for Change is excited to offer community organizations the opportunity to receive free, valuable informational workbooks tailored specifically for seasonal farm and fishery workers. To order, fill out the form below.

Sample pages:

“This book was a big eye-opener about my rights.”

Throughout 2024-2025, we tested the workbook with groups of seasonal farmworkers and the feedback received was overwhelmingly positive. Workers learned and understood – in some cases for the first time – exactly what’s in their contract. This resource provides essential information on wages, deductions, housing, health & safety, and more, giving workers the knowledge they need to thrive while living and working in Canada.

By filling out the simple form below, you can gain access to essential resources to empower and support migrant workers.

Don’t miss out – Sign up now to receive your copies!

Trabajador@s Agrícolas

Conozca sus derechos Libro de Información para Trabajador@s del PTAT

Aquí puede leer el contrato de la temporada 2026:

Contrato-PTAT-Mexico-2026Baje su contrato aquí

¿Tiene preguntas? ¡Estamos aquí para apoyarle! Envíe un mensaje de WhatsApp con su nombre, ubicación y pregunta al 647-807-4722.

Echa un vistazo al nuevo cuaderno de información 2026, ¡Su guía sobre los derechos para trabajador@s agrícolas! Este cuaderno le ayudará a entender su contrato, conocer sus derechos y protegerse contra abusos.

Haz clic aquí para ver el cuaderno

Si desea una copia en papel, complete el formulario confidencial que esta abajo y le enviaremos las copias que solicite totalmente GRATIS a su granja en Canadá para que las comparta con sus compañer@s y amig@s.

Complete el formulario confidencial a continuación:

Farm Workers

Know Your Rights Workbook for SAWP Workers

Here is your NEW 2026 contract:

sawp-contract-caribbean-2026Download

(If you can’t see the contract preview above, tap here for a link to the contract)

Have questions? We got you! Send a WhatsApp message with your name, location, and question to 905-324-2840.

Check out the new 2026 workbook: it will help you understand your contract, learn about your rights, and help you protect yourself against abuse.

Tap here to view the workbook

If you want to order a paper copy, sign up the confidential form below. We will deliver a copy to your farm in Canada for free!