Recent reports have raised concerns that Ontario-based Tim Hortons locations may be employing foreign workers using potentially dubious methods. This follows a Reddit user’s post showing a map of Greater Toronto Area businesses actively hiring temporary resident workers through Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA), a process intended for situations where no Canadian workers are available.
The Government of Canada stipulates that LMIAs are meant to address labor shortages by allowing employers to hire foreign workers when no local candidates are available. However, the widespread use of LMIAs, especially by organizations like Tim Hortons, has led to speculation that some companies might be exploiting the system.
A Bloomberg report revealed that the number of temporary foreign workers in the Canadian food and retail sectors has surged by 211% between 2019 and 2023. Tim Hortons alone hired approximately 714 temporary foreign workers last year, a sharp rise from just 58 in 2019. This increase coincides with an unemployment rate nearing 8% in the Toronto region, prompting concerns about the impact on local job seekers and wage levels.
Additionally, Bloomberg noted that 92% of Tim Hortons positions available to temporary foreign workers in 2023 lacked franchise letterhead, raising further questions about the legitimacy of these hiring practices. This situation has sparked debate over the effects of the LMIA program on the Canadian job market, particularly for young workers seeking summer employment.