A union representing farm workers is suing the Canadian government, claiming it fails to enforce rules that require employers to give workers safety information on the pesticides they use.
In short:
- The United Food and Commercial Workers union filed a federal court lawsuit demanding that Health Canada enforce existing regulations on pesticide safety data sheets in workplaces.
- The union says the government wrongly treats the requirement to share pesticide safety sheets with workers as optional, violating health and safety laws.
- Migrant workers in Leamington, Ontario — many from Mexico and Guatemala — face chemical exposure in greenhouses without mandated information on pesticide risks or protection.
Key quote:
"This is not a choice. This is not a recommendation by government. This is a right enshrined in health and safety law. The right to know is the first step when it comes to a worker's health and safety rights."
— Derek Johnstone, United Food and Commercial Workers union
Why this matters:
Farm workers face routine exposure to a range of agricultural chemicals, often with little training or protection. Material safety data sheets are supposed to warn workers about toxic risks and safety precautions like protective gear or chemical incompatibilities, but enforcement gaps leave many unprotected. Without this basic right to know, workers may unknowingly mix hazardous chemicals, inhale dangerous fumes, or carry residues home on clothing. The consequences range from skin irritation and respiratory illness to cancer and long-term neurological damage. The case sheds light on how Canada’s regulatory system may fail the people most vulnerable to environmental and occupational hazards.
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