Port Alberni's San Group is denying any allegations of worker mistreatment after a group of Vietnamese temporary foreign workers was discovered to be living in a trailer on their Hector Road property.
An anonymous letter sent to the Alberni Valley News shares concerns about the "disgusting" conditions that the workers were living under, alleging that their living quarters had no electricity or running water and that the workers were "housed together on mattresses in very small quarters."
Major Michael Ramsay of Port Alberni's Salvation Army confirmed that after receiving some complaints, the Salvation Army helped to move the workers to a different living situation.
"It was not a place where I would like to live," said Ramsay. "It was not a good environment out there at all."
While San Group's vice president of business development Bob Bortolin agreed that some temporary foreign workers had been living on the property, he says that San Group didn't realize how many were on the property until their utility bills started going up and a landlord was sent out to perform an inspection. The trailer, which has five bedrooms, was meant to accommodate a maximum of 10 people (two per bedroom). But there were around 16 workers living there, said Bortolin.
"When [the landlord] went there, the place was an absolute disaster," said Bortolin. "There was literally garbage thrown everywhere and the sink was clogging up. After the inspection, they were told to leave."
He said the property had electricity and running water, although the water was not suitable for drinking and San Group provided water bottles, instead.
The trailer was meant to provide short-term accomodation for temporary foreign workers while they searched for more permanent housing — something that can be difficult to find in Port Alberni, said Bortolin.
He also disputes allegations that the workers were not paid, or that they had to pay San Group to come to Canada. Workers were offered a pay range between $25 an hour and $45 an hour, depending on their skill set, and they were paid overtime and holiday pay. Accomodation was not included in the employment contract, he said.
Bortolin said that between its Port Alberni and Langley locations, San Group hires about 24 temporary foreign workers. He says no complaints were ever raised about the living conditions, but acknowledges that San Group should have been checking in more frequently.
"We should have had someone out there on a regular basis," said Bortolin. "[Owner Kamal Sanghera] refers to the people who work here as being part of his family. They're hard-working, good people, and why would we not treat them properly?"
While Ramsay is not able to share where the workers have been moved to, he said that the Salvation Army is helping them with any supports they may need.
"They're getting all kinds of support right now and all kinds of help," he said. "When one is living in a rough situation for a long period of time, the effects can be significant. I'm just glad they're getting the help they need."
The City of Port Alberni released a statement on Wednesday, July 3 saying that they had been made aware of the complaints and had passed the information on to the relevant provincial and federal authorities.
“Workers coming to Canada must be confident that their rights are protected,” said Mike Fox, city CAO. “I’d like to thank local agencies involved for their assistance and support for these workers and hope they are receiving the support they need.”
Courtenay-Alberni MP Gord Johns said he is not able to comment on the matter, due to privacy and confidentiality concerns. He did confirm, however, that his office has alerted the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and the Ministry of Employment and Social Development about the situation.
"I will continue to monitor the situation and advocate for federal assistance for those affected,” said Johns.
The Alberni Valley News has reached out to Employment and Social Development Canada for comment. This story will be updated.