$70K Fine After Banff Illegal Employment Investigation

A Banff-area illegal employment operation involving foreign nationals has resulted in a criminal conviction, probation, and a $70,000 fine following a multi-year investigation by federal authorities.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said an Ontario man pleaded guilty March 2 in Alberta Court of Justice to two counts of employing foreign nationals without authorization.

Kevin Kielty, the sole owner of an employment agency called One Team, was sentenced to two years probation, 50 hours of community service and fined $70,000.

Investigators said the case began in June 2022, when Ontario police services provided information to federal authorities about suspected immigration-related offences involving individuals travelling from Ontario to Alberta to work in the hospitality sector in Banff National Park.

A broader investigation later uncovered approximately 90 foreign nationals from Mexico working without authorization across four resort hotels in the Banff and Jasper areas, pointing to what officials described as a coordinated operation rather than an isolated incident.

Kielty was charged in May 2024 under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act with employing foreign nationals without authorization and counselling them to work in Canada illegally.

The CBSA said it is his second conviction under the act. In November 2023, he pleaded guilty to multiple similar offences in Ontario following a separate investigation and was sentenced to 18 months of house arrest.

RCMP Assistant Commissioner Lisa Moreland said the investigation highlights the importance of coordination between agencies.

“By sharing information and coordinating efforts, we can more effectively identify and disrupt crime,” she said.

The Canada Border Services Agency said it will continue to investigate referrals of suspected immigration offences from partner agencies and the public and pursue violations under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

“We will continue to investigate and pursue prosecution of individuals who abuse Canada’s immigration system while safeguarding workers from exploitation,” said Janalee Bell-Boychuk, regional director general for the Prairie Region of the Canada Border Services Agency.