LAKE LOUISE, Alta. — A Canada Border Services Agency and RCMP investigation at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise will see 31 contract workers employed through a third-party staffing agency be required to leave Canada. The workers affected were part of the housekeeping, stewarding, culinary and residence divisions, as reported by the Toronto Star.
The July 12 investigation had 32 contract workers interviewed, with all but one deemed to have improper employment documentation to work in Canada, including work permits and visas. The workers were provided and paid by third-party organization One Team, which is now under investigation. Fairmont Hotels and Resorts had 105 workers supplied by the same company at their three luxury hotels: the Chateau Lake Louise, the Banff Springs and the Jasper Park Lodge. Fairmont has ended its contract with One Team.
The hotel has offered the workers food and lodging for up to 10 days, transport to Edmonton or Calgary and connection with support services. This incident comes as hotels and operators continue to struggle with labour shortages.
“We are very disappointed in the operations of One Team and their negligence in their hiring practices,” said Anastasia Martin-Stilwell, the regional director of Public Relations for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, told Rocky Mountain Outlook. “The decisions made by One Team have real, consequential effects on their contract workers. We recognize this is an incredibly challenging time for all those involved. As such, we are working diligently to identify opportunities to support the impacted contract workers to the best of our ability.”
