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Enforcement overview

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) enforces the Employment Standards Act, 2000 (ESA) and its regulations, which set out the minimum employment standards that most employers must follow. Learn more about the ministry’s role enforcing the ESA.

The source of the data on this page is the Employment Standards Program’s case management system. Due to the ongoing nature of the ministry’s enforcement activities, these numbers may be subject to change. The data reported here is current as of April 28, 2023.

Claim investigations

Investigations are initiated when a claim is filed against an employer, alleging a violation under the ESA.

The top violations found during claim investigations in 2022–23 were:

  • payment of wages
  • vacation pay/vacation time
  • termination pay
  • public holidays/public holiday pay
  • overtime pay

Below are the most recent claim investigation numbers from 2023 to 2018.

Fiscal year (April 1–March 31)Claim investigations
2022–2311,718
2021–228,807
2020–2111,200
2019–2018,965
2018–1922,434

Inspections

The Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development conducts inspections of workplaces, focusing on high-risk sectors and repeat violators, to increase compliance with the ESA and the Employment Protection for Foreign Nationals Act (EPFNA). Inspections are initiated by the ministry and do not require a claim to be filed against the employer.

The purpose of inspections is to:

  • enforce the ESA and the EPFNA, and their regulations
  • communicate the requirements, and raise awareness and understanding of the ESA and the EPFNA
  • promote self-reliance in the workplace

The top employment standards violations discovered during inspections in 2022–23 were:

  • public holidays/public holiday pay
  • overtime pay
  • vacation pay/vacation time
  • minimum wage
  • payment of wages

Below are the most recent inspection numbers from 2023 to 2018.

Fiscal year (April 1 – March 31)Inspections completed
2022–23788
2021–22215
2020–21252
2019–202,490
2018–192,345

Prosecutions

When individual employers and corporations fail to comply with the ESA and its regulations, MLITSD may prosecute due to non-compliance.

Below are the most recent prosecution numbers from 2023 to 2018.

Fiscal year (April 1–March 31)Part I tickets issuedPart III prosecutions initiatedTotal prosecutions
2022–2333740
2021–22221234
2020–2121223
2019–20103747
2018–19295079

Convictions

The following table lists individual employers or companies who were convicted of an offence under the ESA and/or its regulations for the month(s) listed. This includes Part I Tickets, Part III Prosecutions and summons under Part I of the Provincial Offences Act.

Information about convictions under the Employment Standards Act, 2000, is posted on the Ontario government website for one year from the date of posting.

December 2022

NameCourt locationType of prosecutionFinefootnote 1Conviction dateViolation
Miakouchkina AksanaBramptonPart III Prosecution$6,250.00December 13, 2022Failing as a director to comply with an order to pay under s. 106, s. 136
Miakouchkine GregoriBramptonPart III Prosecution$3,750.00December 13, 2022Failing as a director to comply with an order to pay under s. 106, s. 136
1764353 Ontario Ltd. o/a Ontario DisabilityBramptonPart III Prosecution$5,000.00December 13, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132

November 2022

NameCourt locationType of prosecutionFinefootnote 1Conviction dateViolation
Mota OctavioBurlingtonPart III Prosecution$5,000.00November 25, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132

October 2022

There were no convictions reported for October 2022.

September 2022

NameCourt locationType of prosecutionFinefootnote 1Conviction dateViolation
Buddy Lowe Enterprises IncSt. CatharinesPart III Prosecution$6,875.00September 9, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132

August 2022

NameCourt locationType of prosecutionFinefootnote 1Conviction dateViolation
Parkhill Meats LimitedLondonPart I Ticket$355.00August 4, 2022Fail to pay minimum wage, s. 23(1)

July 2022

NameCourt locationType of prosecutionFine footnote 1Conviction dateViolation
Dibiase GiuseppeBramptonPart III Prosecution$2,500July 4, 2022Failing as a director to comply with an order to pay under s. 106, s. 136

June 2022

There were no convictions reported for June 2022.

May 2022

There were no convictions reported for May 2022.

April 2022

NameCourt locationType of prosecutionFine footnote 1Conviction dateViolation
Arellano Alejandro CBurlingtonPart III Prosecution$1,875.00April 5, 2022Failing as a director to comply with an order to pay under s. 106, s. 136
Arellano Alejandro CBurlingtonPart III Prosecution$3,125.00April 5, 2022Failing as a director to comply with an order to pay under s. 106, s. 136
Arellano Alejandro CBurlingtonPart III Prosecution$5,000.00April 5, 2022Failing as a director to comply with an order to pay under s. 106, s. 136
Tateishi Arthur ROrangevillePart I Ticket$355.00April 4, 2022Fail to produce records or provide assistance, s. 91(8)

March 2022

NameCourt locationType of prosecutionFinefootnote 1Conviction dateViolation
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$2,500.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$3,750.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$2,500.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$2,500.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$2,500.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$2,500.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$3,750.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$2,500.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$2,500.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$2,500.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Novita Wellness Institute LtdTorontoPart III Prosecution$1,125.00March 22, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Santina CalidonnaTorontoPart III Prosecution$18,750March 22, 2022Failing as a director to comply with an order to pay under s.106, s.136
Argo Employment Agency CorpLondonPart I Ticket$355.00March 28, 2022Fail to give wage statement within time allowed after employment ends, s. 12.1
Argo Employment Agency CorpLondonPart I Ticket$355.00March 28, 2022Fail to make records, s. 15(1)

February 2022

There were no convictions reported for February 2022.

January 2022

NameCourt locationType of prosecutionFinefootnote 1Conviction dateViolation
Adam Ethbert Abel O/A Beautifil DYNLondonPart III Prosecution$875.00January 24, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Des Gibb & Professional CorporationKitchenerPart III Prosecution$31,250.00January 21, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
The Grand Olympia IncHamiltonPart III Prosecution$10,000.00January 20, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Snap Tax & Accounting IncNewmarketPart III Prosecution$1,875.00January 14, 2022Fail to comply with an order to pay under s. 103(8), s. 132
Bono RosaNewmarketPart III Prosecution$610.00January 14, 2022Failing as a director to comply with an order to pay under s. 106, s. 136

Footnotes