BC Fruit Works is a collaborative initiative between the BC Cherry Association, BC Fruit Grower’s Association, BC Grapegrowers’ Association, BC Tree Fruits Cooperative, and the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food.
The program is designed to entice Canadians to work in British Columbia orchards and vineyards as Branch Hands (seasonal agricultural workers) to enhance the availability of locally-grown produce, support the Canadian farming community, and make it easier for growers to find and hire Canadian seasonal workers.
The intent of this program is to be the future for hiring Canadians to work in BC orchards, connecting growers with summer job seekers.
In June 2022, BC Fruit Works began a trial launch of the program with several goals, including:
The trial launch was initiated when the orchard season was already in full swing hence, there were conservative expectations for successful job matches. Despite this, the team’s expectations were exceeded by a dramatic margin.
Based on the initial success, we will introduce the full-scale launch, with registration for Branch Hands commencing by the end of February 2023.
BC Fruit Works is part of our government’s Tree Fruit Industry Stabilization initiative as we look at ways to coordinate various agencies through an industry labour strategy. This collaborative approach is strengthening the B.C. tree-fruit and wine sector, and ensuring their delicious and high-quality products will continue to get into the hands of consumers this summer and in the future.
Lana Popham, former BC Minister of Agriculture and Food
The BC Fruit Works program has the potential to shift our fruit industries into a more organized, collaborative unit, ensuring more efficient communication and feedback on the casual workforce that we require to operate as a successful industry. It’s a much-needed step toward stabilizing our labour issues throughout all fruit sectors.
The new BC Fruit Works program represents the future for hiring Canadians to work in B.C. orchards. It includes an app that is elegant and simple to use for both growers and people looking for summer work picking fruit in the Okanagan sunshine.
The BCFGA is happy to be included in the creation and implementation of this project as the representatives of fruit growers across the province. BC Fruit Works had a dedicated team of creative and energetic people working on this project, and I am looking forward to seeing how it builds and grows now that it is being used within the industry.
Annelise Simonsen, Director, BC Fruit Growers’ Association (BCFGA)
BC Fruit Works is one of many examples where the Ministry of Agriculture and Food has been strongly supporting the tree-fruit industry in B.C. Access to labour to grow the highest quality fruit possible is critical for growers, and, based on early indicators, BC Fruit Works is enabling both growers and Branch Hands to easily and efficiently connect. We strongly encourage growers and potential Branch Hands to try this tool as it will make a meaningful difference for all industry stakeholders.
Warren Sarafinchan, CEO, BC Tree Fruits Cooperative
BC Fruit Works has partnered with CrewDriver to streamline the Grower-Branch Hand job matching process. CrewDriver, a BC technology company with a long track record of success, offers ease of access for workers, ensuring they can easily find and apply for work that matches their availability. Their automation technology streamlines the matching process, factoring in multiple constraint vectors, allowing for more efficient and accurate matches between workers and producers. CrewDriver’s platform is designed to promote fairness and minimize bias in the matching process, ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to secure work. They have connected hundreds of thousands of shifts to interested workers, making a significant impact on the industries they support. As a BC technology company, CrewDriver understands the unique needs of our industry and is committed to providing solutions that meet those needs.
Tyrion Miskell, Executive Director, British Columbia Grapegrowers’ Association
