After investigators from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) conducted an immigration check at Calgary’s event centre project site on Wednesday, the agency confirmed four undocumented workers were identified on site.
The CBSA and Calgary Police Service visited the construction site on the corner of 12th Avenue S.E. and Stampede Trail as part of an Immigration and Refugee Protection Act investigation.
“CBSA officers exercised their designated peace officer authorities by conducting ID checks for the purpose of administering and enforcing the IRPA, namely to identify persons of potential interest for non-compliance,” the agency said in a statement to Global News.
The CBSA said police were on scene as an extra security measure to support both public and officer safety, given the large size of the worksite.
CBSA confirmed to Global News late Thursday that it received a tip indicating that “a number of individuals might be working at the Calgary worksite,” which prompted this investigation.
According to the agency, four workers “found to be without status” are required to report to the CBSA office this week.
“Ensuring that those who are inadmissible leave the country is critical to the integrity of Canada’s immigration system,” a spokesperson for CBSA said in an updated statement.
The statement also noted that workplace investigations are not frequently used, with approximately five to six per year.
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
“With CBSA, 1,000 more inland enforcement officers have been hired, they’ve been empowered, enhanced with more resources, with more money, with more officers, we’re going to see this more and more,” said immigration lawyer Raj Sharma.
“This has been common in Toronto and Vancouver. It’s less common in Calgary and Edmonton and the western provinces, but we’re seeing it more and more.”
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said she has spoken with the prime minister’s office and Canada’s Public Safety Minister, Gary Anandasangaree, with questions regarding how the site visit was managed and if there are protections for the workers.
“If this is a situation where we’re trying to protect people from being exploited, then I would like to know there were resources and support available for these people,” Gondek told Global News.
“I’m taken aback that this would happen in this way.”
Building Trades of Alberta (BTA), an organization that represents several local trade unions and thousands of trades workers in the province, said the issue of trafficking of undocumented workers on job sites is “not a secret” in Alberta.
BTA’s strategic engagement and development director, Rob Calver, said the issue goes beyond the city’s event centre project.
“They’re on every major project that you see in Alberta right now,” Calver said.
“These are subcontractors who are paying cash in envelopes to these young workers. It’s disgusting.”
Calver said BTA has been looking into the issue after discovering a drop in market share in Calgary and Edmonton for skilled trade union workers and companies on major projects due to contracts going to the lowest cost bidders.
“Lowest bid breed contractors that have to find ways to cut corners,” he said.
In a statement, the City of Calgary said it requires all prime contractors to comply with applicable laws, including the Alberta Labour Relations Code, city policies and the Supplier Code of Conduct.
“Contractors are required to ensure subcontractors meet these requirements,” the city said in a statement.
“The City works closely with our construction industry partners so that they understand our contractual requirements and that they meet all regulatory and legal requirements.”
CANA, the prime contractor on Calgary’s event centre project, did not respond to Global News request for comment.
Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp, who chaired the city’s event centre committee, also didn’t respond.
“We’ve been trying to bring it to the attention of all levels of government and to industry,” Calver said.
“It’s fallen on deaf ears.”
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
