Too late to apply?

[GcMartini]

Hello,
Just another rookie here. I was wondering if it was too late to apply to companies like Treeline or Haveman? I feel like I'd be really pushing it if I were to try now. I understand I got nothing to lose, but what're my odds of getting in?

Thanks a bunch,
Gc

[mwainwright]

Never too late to get a job in Ontario

[Scooter]

Exactly. At this point, Ontario is the best bet for a first-time planter. Get your foot in the door, and move to a more professional company out west next year, if you like the work. To be fair, I have employees who have worked at Haveman (and every other Ontario company) and it seems that Haveman and Brinkman seem to be the top two companies for trying to raise the bar in Ontario to meet that of Western Canadian planting. It must be a tough fight, because they're fighting with other companies in a low-bid environment.

Don't ever apply to a company that makes you pay to reserve a spot at the company!

Track everything so if you run into what you perceive are violations of provincial employment standards, you can deal with it as soon as the season is over. Documentation is important.

Here's a list of contact information for Ontario companies:

http://replant.ca/Ontario_Tree_Planting_Companies.pdf

[GcMartini]

Cheers Scooter, thanks for your help and for the links. I will for sure be keen of the way things are run. I am not one that is fine to be taken advantage of or treated unfairly, so I would definitely confront the ministry about labour issues if they did arise. Another question: do employers place a strong emphasis on experience unrelated to planting? I have experience as a mechanic, a labourer and a retail associate, but I assume my retail experience would not be a deciding factor.

[Scooter]

You can never have too many people in camp with mechanical experience. That's a big plus that a lot of people never talk about.

[pitters]

Applying late can be a great time as a rookie, as crew bosses are scrambling to fill last minute drop outs on their crew. I had a buddy try last year, got job offers at 8 different companies across the country responding to his Replant/KKRF postings

On another note, I would add Outland to scooters list of companies on the higher end of ontario prices, although contract dependant, they do have one paying 12 cents for unscarified trees this year.

Conversely, Treeline would be in the lowest region of that spectrum from what Ive heard, and seen advertised. Completion bonus built into tree price, and contracts advertising prices under 9 cents would have me very wary. I know several people who have switched away from Treeline, and none has regretted it, or had much positive to say about the company

Good luck finding a spot