Nursery and greenhouse workers (NOC 8432)

Nursery and greenhouse workers perform some or all of the following duties:

• prepare growing media, plant bulbs, seeds and cuttings, graft and bud plants, set transplants out onto the rooting media, and transplant seedlings and rooted cuttings
• spray trees, shrubs, flowers and plants to manage specific pests
• operate greenhouse and nursery irrigation systems to water
• dig, harvest, transplant and prepare trees, shrubs, flowers and plants for sale and shipping
• provide information and advice to customers on gardening and the care of trees, shrubs, flowers, plants and lawns
• operate tractors and other equipment to fertilize, cultivate, harvest and spray fields and plants
• maintain inventory and order materials as required
• clean work areas

Nursery and greenhouse workers typically work 40 hours per week, however, they may be required to work up to 60 hours per week during the peak harvesting/shipping season.

Workers may spend a large portion of their day outdoors or in climate controlled greenhouses. These workers can be at risk for heat exhaustion when working outdoors in summer months for extended periods of time. Cold temperatures may also be experienced.

Specialized workers (those who have pest applicators certificates) are required to work with hazardous chemicals, so they are required to wear safety equipment such as face masks, safety glasses, and protective gloves and clothing. Non-certified workers are not exposed to pesticides as nursery and greenhouse operations follow strict rules enforced by WorkSafeBC with respect to re-entry times to sprayed areas.

Nursery and greenhouse workers do a variety of jobs, including plant potting, shipping, receiving, propagation and harvesting.

Greenhouse workers mainly work with their hands during the picking of greenhouse vegetables or flowers, using a variety of specialty tools. This may lead to repetitive motion injuries, such as tendonitis and bursitis.

Some workers may be required lift heavy objects. As such, workers must maintain an adequate level of physical fitness and take precautions when lifting heavy objects in order to avoid back or other injuries.

Increased attention to safety within this industry has significantly lowered the risk of workplace injuries and ailments.

Employment opportunities will arise primarily due to new job growth.

In recent years, B.C. greenhouse vegetable growers have faced various difficulties. Increased international competition, a high Canadian dollar, increasing energy prices, the inability of growers to obtain outside investment, and the wide availability of greenhouse grown vegetables have lead to decreased profit margins for growers. These trends will continue to have a negative effect on work opportunities for greenhouse workers in the province

In addition, improvements in greenhouse and nursery technology have led to increased automation/mechanization. Fewer unskilled workers are now needed for manual labour tasks, but more skilled workers are needed to operate equipment.

In recent years, increasing housing and commercial construction in B.C. had a positive effect on the nursery and greenhouse sector, thereby providing new work opportunities. A high level of construction activity fuelled growth in the landscaping industry, which led to increased demand for nursery and greenhouse grown plants. This trend had a positive effect on work in retail and wholesale nurseries and in greenhouses.

Many greenhouse and nursery workers left the occupation to work in other industries which offer year round employment. This was a major contributing factor to the shortage of these workers during peak seasons, particularly in rural regions. As a result, many employers hired foreign workers who came to Canada through the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, which was put in place to help with shortages of unskilled labour during harvesting seasons. As a result, foreign workers accounted for a large share of nursery and greenhouse workers in B.C.

Work demand will continue to be highest in the Fraser Valley in particular, where most greenhouse and nursery operations in the province are located.

Job opportunities will be highest for experienced workers and for those who have completed horticulture related courses and training programs. Increased use of Integrated Pest Management practices will raise the demand for workers with Pest Applicator Certification.

Employment opportunities are abundant in harvesting seasons, however, full-time work throughout the year is difficult to secure without further education or extensive experience.