Ontario 'scumbags' guilty of withholding passports to face steeper fines, ministry says
Ontario employers who withhold foreign workers’ passports or work permits could face steeper penalties under new labour laws, with maximum fines setting them back up to $200,000.
“One group of workers who are often forgotten are migrant workers,” Labour Minister Monte McNaughton said during a press conference on Monday. “While most employers care about their workers, some continue to take advantage of them, including illegally holding their passports and work permits.”
McNaughton proposed new legislation that would hit employers with penalties of $100,000 to $200,000 for each passport that is withheld.
Individuals who are convicted of withholding passport would be liable to either a fine of up to $500,000, up to 12 months imprisonment, or both, McNaughton noted. Businesses that are convicted could see a fine of up to $1 million.
The new legislation comes after York police busted an alleged international labour trafficking ring where 64 Mexican-born nationals were forced to work and live in “deplorable” conditions. Police charged those allegedly involved under human trafficking laws.
With the new fines, McNaughton says they will assist the ministry’s new anti-trafficking unit, which was launched 18 months ago to fight labour trafficking in the province.
“My message to those scumbags out there abusing migrant workers is this – you can run, but you can’t hide. We will find you, fine you, and put you behind bars,” McNaughton said.
During the first year of operation, the ministry says it helped 3,500 workers regain $400,000 in wages.
On Monday, the labour ministry also proposed amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). If passed, the maximum fine for businesses would increase to $2 million should they be convicted of an offence under it.
Additionally, McNaughton touched on how the ministry would be introducing its third edition of the Working for Workers Act on Monday, which will propose new job protections including – but not limited to – remote workers’ protections during mass terminations and amendments to require women’s-only washrooms on construction sites.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
2024 Met Gala: Everything to know about fashion's annual soiree
Fashion's biggest night out — hosted at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York each year on the first Monday of May — is both a forever-evolving spectacle and a carefully crafted event.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Concern over speeding in Fredericton neighbourhood grows after 2 teens, young adult killed in crash
Three people – including two teens – are dead, and two others are injured after a crash that has left a greater Fredericton community shaken.