Quebec’s ornamental horticulture sector is facing an unprecedented labor shortage. In this context, Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) play a crucial role in sustaining operations, maintaining service quality, and supporting the economic vitality of businesses.

However, recent restrictions surrounding the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) have raised serious concerns. To represent the realities of the sector, Coop Horticole Groupex and the Association des Paysagistes Professionnels du Québec (APPQ), supported by partners such as StratégiKo and Catapulte, submitted an official brief to the Government of Quebec in August 2025.

Setting the Context

This brief was submitted as part of the public consultation on Quebec’s 2026–2029 multi-year immigration plan.

On June 5, 2025, Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge presented these orientations to the National Assembly. The consultation, led by the Commission des relations avec les citoyens, begins on September 16, 2025, following the publication of an official consultation paper (available here).

The goal of this exercise is to determine Quebec’s overall immigration levels, while balancing labor market needs, integration capacity, and regional realities. It was within this context that our sector submitted its brief to highlight the urgency of the situation and propose solutions tailored to horticulture’s specific challenges.

Key Findings in the Brief

The brief went beyond describing the problem and highlighted initiatives already underway:

• The Salvador Project: an innovative program that prepares workers before they arrive in Quebec with technical and language training, ensuring smoother integration and long-term retention.
• Recognition of seasonality: like agriculture and construction, horticulture relies on short, intensive work cycles. Seasonal TFWs are essential to meeting these demands.
• A moratorium on TFWP restrictions: Groupex and the APPQ call for an immediate suspension of proposed restrictions to safeguard the continuity of operations and the vitality of regional SMEs.

Ongoing Political Advocacy

Since the brief was submitted, several steps have been taken:

• ✅ Meeting with Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge (MIFI) on April 28.
• ✅ Meeting with the federal team responsible for LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessments) on May 21.
• ✅ Official letter sent to the new federal Minister of Immigration, Lena Metlege Diab, outlining sector concerns and requesting a meeting.

These actions aim to ensure that Quebec’s immigration policies remain aligned with the realities of the horticultural sector and its vital contribution to the provincial economy.

Clear Recommendations

The Coop Horticole and APPQ put forward three priority recommendations:

1. Implement an immediate moratorium on TFWP restrictions for the horticultural sector.
2. Officially recognize the seasonal nature and specific needs of ornamental horticulture.
3. Maintain, or even increase, temporary immigration thresholds to meet urgent labor market demands.

Ornamental horticulture is a pillar of Quebec’s economy, regional vitality, and quality of life. Yet without stable and sufficient access to temporary foreign workers, the sector’s ability to deliver services and projects is at risk.

Through its brief and ongoing advocacy, Coop Horticole Groupex reaffirms its commitment to defending the sector’s interests, advancing responsible solutions, and working with governments to secure the future of an essential industry for Quebec.