September 9,2025
RED FM News Desk
British Columbia Premier David Eby is intensifying his criticism of the temporary foreign worker program, highlighting a Vancouver Starbucks and a Boston Pizza in Richmond, B.C., for attempting to use the program to hire managers.
Eby argues that the program needs to be shut down or substantially reformed, even as federal data indicate that approvals under the scheme in B.C. have fallen nearly twice as quickly as in the rest of Canada. In the first quarter of 2025, roughly 11,000 temporary foreign worker positions were approved in B.C., a 37% drop compared to the same period last year, while the rest of Canada saw a 20.5% decline following federal restrictions implemented last September.
Employers must obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment to hire temporary foreign workers, and more than 51,000 positions were approved nationally in the first quarter of 2025.
Last week, both Eby and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre suggested ending the program. On Tuesday, speaking to the Burnaby Board of Trade, Eby pointed to the Starbucks and Boston Pizza applications, saying in a social media clip that he doubts the outlets “can’t find a British Columbian on their team to promote to manager.”
The Richmond Boston Pizza did not respond to requests for comment, while Starbucks’ Canadian headquarters clarified that Eby was referring to a café owned by Sheraton. Calls to the Sheraton Wall Centre outlet went unanswered.
Eby’s remarks about the program drew criticism from former NDP cabinet minister Katrina Chen, who said she was “furious” over them. The premier defended his stance, stating that B.C. “can’t have an immigration system that fills up our homeless shelters and our food banks” or “results in high unemployment.”
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