Temp agency fined $150,000 for ignoring wage orders

A temporary help agency and its director have been fined a combined $150,000 after failing to comply with wage repayment orders under Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA), the Ontario government.

12066424 Canada Inc., located at 7 Margaret Street, and its director, Son-Van Duong, were convicted on April 23, 2026, following an ex parte trial in Windsor Provincial Offences Act Court. 

Justice of the Peace Holly DeBacker imposed a $100,000 fine on the company and $50,000 on Duong, according to the Ontario government.

The case stems from a Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development investigation launched in early 2023 after complaints were filed against the employer. The Ontario government reported that investigators identified multiple ESA violations, including “unpaid minimum wage entitlements and termination of assignment pay.”

A subsequent audit of the company’s 2022 records revealed a broader compliance failure. 

According to the Ontario government, “hundreds of employees were owed wages,” including regular wages, public holiday pay and vacation pay, totalling $234,212.47.

Previously, Kevin Kielty – sole owner of an employment agency called One Team – was fined $70,000 and handed a two‑year probation order after a joint Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) immigration investigation into illegal foreign worker placements at Banff‑area hotels, the federal government announced.

Orders ignored, enforcement escalates

On June 29, 2023, an Employment Standards Officer issued an Order to Pay requiring the company to repay the outstanding wages along with administrative costs. However, the Ontario government noted the employer “did not pay the order and did not apply for a review” within the required timeframe.

The ministry escalated enforcement on Aug. 3, 2023, issuing a Director’s Order to Pay that made Duong personally liable for a portion of the unpaid wages. The Ontario government stated that “the director did not pay the order and did not apply for a review.”

Under the ESA, both failures constitute offences. The Ontario government confirmed the convictions were tied to sections 132 and 136 of the Act, related to corporate and director non-compliance with wage repayment obligations.

“Failing to comply with an Order to Pay wages or a Director’s Order to Pay wages is a violation of the Employment Standards Act, 2000,” the Ontario government said.

Penalties signal accountability for employers and leadership

In addition to the $150,000 in fines, the court imposed a 25% victim fine surcharge as required under the Provincial Offences Act, with funds directed to a provincial program supporting victims of crime.

The penalties reflect the province’s enforcement approach, particularly in sectors such as temporary help agencies where large numbers of workers may be affected. The Ontario government has increasingly emphasized compliance with employment standards through inspections and prosecutions.

Significantly, the case demonstrates that liability can extend beyond the corporate entity. By issuing and enforcing a Director’s Order to Pay, regulators held senior leadership personally accountable for wage violations.

Previously, the British Columbia Supreme Court ruled that an employer could be held liable for damages incurred by foreign nationals who paid for Canadian jobs. 

Here are some examples employers who have been penalized for violations of rules around migrant workers: