"Canadian Tire store under investigation for alleged exploitation of temporary foreign workers,"

A Canadian Tire store in Toronto is under investigation by both provincial and federal authorities following allegations of mistreatment and financial exploitation of employees hired under Ottawa’s Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, according to a report.

The investigation centers around the actions of Ezhil Natarajan, owner of the Etobicoke-based store. At least 13 employees resigned or were terminated in late 2023, alleging wage reductions, job duty changes, and threats of dismissal when they voiced concerns about their working conditions, reported The Globe and Mail.

Several former employees claim that their wages were arbitrarily cut and that they were forced to take on tasks unrelated to the roles they were hired for, according to the report...

Meanwhile, Natarajan has denied the allegations through his lawyer, Arthur Tarasuk, stating that he intends to contest the claims. 

Canadian Tire told The Globe and Mail a statement expressing concern and indicating it is investigating the matter. The company, however, emphasized that individual stores are independently owned and operated, with each “dealer” responsible for their own human resources practices...

According to The Globe and Mail, Natarajan worked with an Alberta-based immigration consultant, Allison Jones Consulting Services Inc., to hire some of the foreign workers, and that the consulting firm  charged the workers more than $10,000 each to process their applications for the TFW program.

The consulting firm did not respond to requests for comments, according to The Globe and Mail’s report...