Ontario Entrepreneur Fined for Hiring Illegal Workers in Alberta

0:00An Ontario entrepreneur named Kevin Keelty just pleaded guilty to illegally hiring foreign workers in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, landing a $70,000 fine. That was back in March, and he also got slapped with two years' probation plus 50 hours' community service. Earlier this week, details emerged on how Canada Border Services Agency and RCMP launched the probe in 2022, tipped off by Ontario, provincial police. It started with workers shuttling from Ontario to Banff National Park for hospitality jobs, all coordinated through Keelty's outfit called one team. Meanwhile, the bus then covered 90 Mexican nationals, toiling without papers, and four resort hotels around Banff and Jasper, shining a light on. Exploitation and tourist hotspots, officials hailed it as a win for cross agency teamwork protecting legit job markets. Keelty faced two counts under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for straight up employing and advising unauthorized folks to work.

1:02This follows his November 2023 guilty plea in Ontario on four similar charges, which earned him 18 months house arrest. Bottom line, these cases stack up penalties across provinces, underscoring how immigration violations hit hard for employers dodging the rules. From your city, powered by AI, this is Calgary News Today.