TORONTO -- More than 40 seasonal workers were supposed to arrive in Niagara, Ont. on Thursday, but a COVID-19-related travel restriction has made the trip impossible—a fact that one farm owner says may cost him millions of dollars.

John Thwaites, the owner of Thwaites Farm in Niagara-on-the-Lake, told CTV News Toronto that current travel restrictions implemented by the federal government have prevented the bulk of his employees, who reside in Jamaica, from entering the country.

“It will affect our crop entirely this year. We rely on them for the bulk of our labour. We hire local people as well but the main bulk of the labour is from Jamaica and without them here now to do the work that is required early in the spring, our crop will be in jeopardy,” Thwaites said.

With a few exceptions, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has closed the Canadian border to those who are not citizens or permanent residents of Canada in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19 during the global pandemic. International flights have also been rerouted to four airports where enhanced screenings can occur.

All international travellers are being told to enter a 14-day self-isolation period once they are home.

Thwaites said he wouldn’t have minded if his seasonal workers had to self-isolate for a few weeks and said that other staff would be willing to do grocery runs for them while they stay in housing provided onsite.

“These men that come in from Jamaica are highly trained. They know their work. We have had some people offer to help and it’s much appreciated but typically people come with the wrong set of skills,” Thwaites said.

He said without the proper staffing, it will delay the pruning process at his orchard and it could also jeopardize the health of his nectarine and peach trees.

“The tree suffers because it will try to grow too much… it certainly will put the health of the tree in jeopardy for the coming years,” Thwaites said.

On Thursday, the chair of Berry Growers of Ontario said that farmers still haven’t been told if the federal Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program will continue.

“Food is picked and harvested and cared for by humans. And if we don’t have them as part of the equation it’s hard,” Tom Heeman with Heeman’s Nursery and Berry Farm told CTV News London.

Heeman said that he has delivered a letter on behalf of berry growers to the agricultural minister asking for more information.

With files from CTV News Toronto's John Musselman