New rules have been put in place to protect the rights of foreign seasonal workers in British Columbia.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Protection Act (introduced by BC Labour Minister Harry Bains) states that employers cannot charge workers for job placements, unlawfully threaten them with deportation, or hold on to their passports.
Any employer who breaks these rules could face a fine of up to $50,000 or up to a year in jail.
BC Cherry Association President Sukhpal Bal says these workers have been the backbone of the orchards and vineyards in the Okanagan for the past 12 years.
"They've pretty much become family," says Bal. "They spend more time with our families than they do with their own, so we create strong bond with the workers, and I'm 100 percent behind the workers getting the protection they need."
Bal says most employers treat their seasonal workers well, although there are some rare exceptions.
To address the issue, he says collaboration between different levels of government is key.
"I believe that the provincial government and the federal government need to sit down and say 'okay: which areas are we seeing the most abuse, how can we tackle it, and what areas are we each going to be working on?' Then we develop a plan that (the employers) understand."
Through the federal government's Temporary Foreign Worker Program, roughly 47,000 workers came to Canada last year, 17,000 of which came to BC.