Request Inspection Online: Seasonal Agricultural Worker Accommodations
If an employer plans to provide housing for seasonal agricultural workers, the dwelling must be inspected prior to the workers arrival. In PEI, inspections are most often completed by an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) with Environmental Health. Inspections may also be completed by an approved third party. The dwelling must meet health and safety requirements prior to Service Canada processing the permit to hire seasonal agricultural workers.
If your accommodation is ready, use the online form below to request an inspection.
This form is also available to download in PDF format.
What do I need to do to prepare my buildings for inspection?
It is your responsibility to ensure all buildings used for housing seasonal agricultural workers are kept in good repair, in a clean, safe and sanitary condition, and free from vermin and rodent infestation. For more information about the inspection criteria used to assess accommodations, refer to Housing Seasonal Agricultural Workers.
What do I need to complete the online form?
You will be asked to provide complete contact information, the civic address for each building to be inspected and the number of residents you plan to accommodate in each building.
Is there a fee for this inspection?
There is no fee for the housing inspection.
How long will it take to complete the housing inspection process?
Once you submit your request form, Environmental Health will contact you within two to three business days to arrange a suitable time for inspection. Submit a request for inspection with as much notice as possible. Every attempt is made to complete inspections in a timely manner.
Inspection Process
An inspection report will be completed and provided to the employer.
If there is an immediate health or safety concern, the inspection will be marked unsatisfactory. A timeline will be set to complete any items that could not be rectified during the inspection, and a follow-up inspection may be scheduled. If violations are present which require attention, but do not pose an immediate risk to the health or safety of the workers, they will be marked improvement required and must be addressed prior to the next housing inspection. Repeat violations may be marked unsatisfactory.
Mid-Season Inspections
Mid-season inspections may be completed at random by EHOs or Inspectors with the Department of Agriculture and Land. The employer will be notified of a mid-season inspection the day of the inspection.
New Construction/Renovations
Floor plans of new construction or renovations should be provided to Environmental Health prior to construction. This will help ensure minimum standards are met for the planned number of individuals to be housed.
Ensure the municipality or community where the dwelling is located has approved all necessary permits prior to construction. If the dwelling will be located outside municipal or community limits, approval by Provincial Planning is required.
Worker Transfers
Seasonal agricultural workers may be transferred between farms if approved by Service Canada in advance. Environmental Health must be notified, and approval is required prior to any worker transfer between dwellings.
Illness Prevention
It can be challenging to prevent the spread of illness in shared housing. Workers often gather closely for social, leisure, and recreational activities, shared dining, and/or use of shared equipment (e.g. kitchen appliances, laundry facilities, etc.).
Some measures an employer can take to reduce the risk of transmission of illness within shared housing include, but are not limited to:
- Provide liquid hand soap at hand washing sinks to allow workers to properly wash their hands.
- Have supplies to clean and disinfect common touch surfaces easily accessible to workers.
- Post signage, preferably in the native language of the workers, which details the hand washing process and steps to cleaning and disinfecting common touch surfaces.
- Ensure washroom and hand hygiene facilities are easily accessible when working off-site.
- Provide supports to allow workers to remain home from work if they are ill.
- Promote outdoor air intake as much as possible while maintaining comfortable indoor temperature and humidity.
- Workers should be advised to contact 811 for medical consultation or 911 in case of an emergency.
Helpful Contacts
Provincial Planning
31 Gordon Drive, Charlottetown
902-368-5590
landsdivision@gov.pe.ca
Provincial Fire Marshal’s Office
31 Gordon Drive, Charlottetown
902-368-4869
Charlottetown Fire Inspection
89 Kent Street, Charlottetown
902-629-4083
Summerside Fire Inspection
251 Foundry Street, Summerside
902-432-1224
Service Canada Regional Office
85 Fitzroy Street, Charlottetown
902-566-7652 or 902-626-2710
pe-foreign_worker-tr@servicecanada.gc.ca
Immigration Services
(Island Investment Development)
94 Euston Street, Charlottetown
902-620-3628
peinominee@gov.pe.ca
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
(Charlottetown)
Jean Canfield Building
888-242-2100
PEI Employment Development Agency
16 Fitzroy Street, Charlottetown
1st Floor Sullivan Building
902-368-5805
Canada Border Services Agency
800-461-9999