More than a year after police asked the public to come forward with information relating to sexual assault allegations against a prominent member of the South Okanagan wine industry, Randir Toor has been charged in connection with the accusations.
Randir (Randy) Toor is the co-owner and former president of Desert Hills Winery in Oliver. However, in December 2023, the winery took to social media to announce Toor's retirement.
Toor's first appearance for his criminal trial took place on June 11 in Penticton Provincial Court.
The case has a statutory publication ban on any information that might identify the victims or witnesses involved.
The charges against Toor come after RCMP issued a press release in January 2024, calling for any potential victims to come forward, however, the statement did not name any suspects. Instead, the RCMP referred to allegations made against an unnamed member of the South Okanagan wine industry.
The Lower Similkameen Community Services Society in Keremeos also encouraged any migrant workers in the community to contact the society if they had information to share.
A December 2023, RCMP warrant application was obtained by the Penticton Western News, which detailed a search of Toor's cabin at Mt. Baldy Resort, near Oliver. The search came after a complaint was filed by a worker who had, at the time been, employed at Toor's Cawston farm.
The warrant sought to search the Mt. Baldy property for bodily substances, bedding and any contraceptive evidence.
The evidence collected by police in connection to that warrant has not been proven in court.
In January 2025, Toor Vineyards, which operates as Desert Hills Winery, received a permanent ban on hiring temporary foreign workers due to non-compliance in multiple aspects by the Immigration and Citizenship branch of the Canadian government.
According to reasons provided by the Immigration and Citizenship branch, in addition to failing to pay the workers what was advertised and failing to produce necessary documentation for government inspectors, the company "did not put in enough effort to make sure the workplace was free of: physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, financial abuse or reprisal."
The company was also fined $90,000 in 2022 for its part in a B.C.-wide immigration fraud scheme.
