Article content continued

The ministry said the charges stem from the complaints of 19 people living in Ottawa.

The Citizen conducted an investigation into complaints raised about the business practices of Ontario Safety Standards in 2017. Several people alleged they were subjected to high pressure sales tactics, were provided misleading information and many expressed frustration about the difficulty they faced in withdrawing from a contract during their provincially mandated “cooling off period” (which gives a consumer as many as 20 days to cancel a contract they have agreed to). Some even claimed the company promised that the equipment being installed would save them money on their bills, however those savings never materialized.

The City of Ottawa has issued repeated warnings about companies offering water filters or water softeners to residents who draw their water from municipal water supplies. Engineers with the city caution that municipally supplied water is already soft and a water softener may simply increase sodium levels. The city also claims that additional filtration of Ottawa municipal tap water is not necessary.

Pradeep Chand, a lawyer representing Torbati as well as Ontario Safety Standards and Ontario Stars Corp. said his clients intend “to vigorously defend themselves against the allegations and are eager to have the matter dealt with before the courts,” he said in an emailed statement. “We urge all commentators to remember that evidence against the defendants has not been heard and it will be tested in a courtroom. Until then, there are many reasons, including Canada’s constitution that support the presumption (Ontario Safety Standards) and Mr. Torbati are innocent of the allegations against them.”