Quebec Business Owners Sue Federal Government over Reduced Temporary Worker Targets

And while this policy has proved popular among some circles, a more recent court filing shows how nuanced immigration in Canada truly is. A group of Quebec businesses has reportedly sued Canada’s federal government over its plans to reduce the numbers of temporary residents in Canada. Why? Well, because they feel that the decision will bankrupt their businesses.  

Here’s what we know so far. 

What’s happening with the Temporary Work Permit lawsuit?  

23 Quebec business owners have launched a $300 million lawsuit against Canada’s federal government in response to the planned reduction in temporary workers in Canada, reports CTV News.  

The proposed lawsuit is designed to protect the businesses from the financial consequences of reduced temporary immigration, which could bankrupt the businesses or cause other financially devastating operational changes. The business owners are from a range of industries, all located in Quebec.  

Why is this a big deal?  

It showcases the immense benefit that temporary workers play in Canada’s business landscape. Temporary workers have been demonized in Canadian media for the past 12 months. So it’s refreshing to see coverage highlighting that the temporary workers who come to Canada do offer incredible benefits to the Canadian economy.  

Reporting on the story also reveals that Canadian workers aren’t willing to do the work on offer at many of these businesses. One owner recounted that their company offers Canadian workers a $25-dollar-an-hour training wage so they can enter the job market. They go on to note that Canadian workers just aren’t applying, suggesting that many Canadian workers want to do office jobs instead of manual labour and that night shifts put off many local Quebec workers.  

This is important because Canada’s temporary workforce has been under increased scrutiny recently due to Canada’s high unemployment rate, particularly amongst young workers aged between 15-24. Temporary workers are sometimes portrayed as the sole issue leading to the historically high unemployment of young workers, yet on the business side, it seems that there are other barriers to attracting local workers into these positions.  

Will the business owners win the lawsuit? 

We aren’t sure. We doubt they’d be spending the money on the lawsuit if they didn’t think they would have a chance. But from what we can tell it’s a novel application, so it’s tricky to gauge the odds of success.