Bonduelle wants to house migrant workers on its property in Tecumseh, by erecting a 5,400 sq. ft. building at the corner of Lesperance Blvd. and St. Dennis Blvd.
To do that, the town will need to re-zone the land in a special way, as it's all industrial at the moment.
Many residents at a town hall meeting on Tuesday night agree with Justice for Migrant Workers Spokesperson Chris Ramsaroop, who says the proposed framework doesn't provide proper protection. "We also do not want to see migrant workers segregated within the confinements of an industrial property. Migrant workers should be living in the community, and their rights should be protected."
Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara says the town's going to need one or two public open houses to discuss the issue before a decision can be made by council. "And it's an opportunity for even us and council to talk with our counterparts in Strathroy and Ingersoll, where they seem to be ahead of the curve in terms of migrant workers compared to what we have here, in the area."
McNamara explains that the benefit of having Bonduelle and its $40-million of annual economic activity in the community is going to be a factor to consider in the process as well.