National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking
2023-2025 Report

Table of contents

Introduction

The Government of Canada remains steadfast in its commitment to counter human trafficking - an appalling crime that leaves a profound impact on victims and survivors, their friends, families and communities. This report highlights efforts undertaken by federal departments between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2025, to advance key commitments under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (National Strategy). The National Strategy is supported by an investment of over $57 million (2019-2024) and $10.28 million annually (beginning 2024-2025). It focuses on five pillars: empowerment, prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships. Led by Public Safety Canada, this commitment is shared with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA); Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC); Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC); Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC); and Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE).

Several other federal departments and agencies contribute to Canada's work to combat this crime. These include: Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC); Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC); Global Affairs Canada (GAC); Indigenous Services Canada (ISC); Department of Justice Canada (Justice Canada); Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC); Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP); Statistics Canada (StatCan); and others.

With the National Strategy now in its sixth year, the Government of Canada recognizes the need to ensure its approach to combatting human trafficking remains modern, adaptable, and responsive to the changing environment. In July 2024, as part of its response to the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women's (FEWO) report: "Act Now: Preventing Human Trafficking of Women, Girls and Gender Diverse People in Canada", the Minister of Public Safety committed to the renewal of the National Strategy. From August 2024 to March 2025, Public Safety Canada and other federal partners held engagement sessions to promote open discussion with victims and survivors, law enforcement, provinces and territories, Indigenous groups, and private sector and civil society stakeholders involved in anti-human trafficking efforts both within Canada and internationally. These sessions provided an opportunity to identify gaps, emerging issues, and trends to be addressed through a renewed National Strategy. Targeted stakeholders were also invited to submit input through an online questionnaire. This report contains the findings and insights from these sessions, which will continue to help inform the Government of Canada's efforts towards a renewed National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking.

Progress

This report highlights initiatives and areas of progress during fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 under the National Strategy's five pillars: empowerment, prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnerships. For further information, see Public Safety Canada's Departmental Results Report (DRR 2023-2024 and DRR 2024-2025 – available December 2025).

Additionally, in June 2024, a Horizontal Evaluation of the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking was released, which assessed the relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency of the National Strategy, covering the period from fiscal year 2019-2020 to 2022-2023.

Empowerment

Between 2023 and 2025, initiatives under the National Strategy's empowerment pillar continued to support victims and survivors and encouraged action by industry partners.

Supporting victims and survivors

In 2023-2024, Public Safety Canada continued to support 12 projects for approximately $1.82 million and 11 projects in 2024-2025 for approximately $1.86 million through Stream A of the Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime: Community-Based Trauma-Informed Empowerment Projects.

Projects spanned across Canada and enhanced access to trauma-informed, culturally-relevant wrap-around services and supports. Projects aimed to empower victims and survivors of human trafficking to regain their independence, prevent re-victimization, and support recovery and reintegration into communities. For example:

Through the Human Trafficking Initiative, WAGE continued to support 42 projects by providing nearly $14 million and an additional $1.4 million for 11 projects to scale-up in 2023-2024; eight projects continued in 2024-2025. The initiative's funding helped organizations to develop, test, and deliver innovative prevention programs and short-term continuum of care interventions to support survivors in reintegrating into their communities. Projects also supported many underserved populations, including Indigenous people and youth.

Half the funded projects delivered targeted, holistic supports that empower survivors of human trafficking to maintain their full autonomy. Project initiatives for victims and survivors included intensive case management services, trauma-informed counselling services, peer-led support programs, and resources and education modules for frontline workers, community organizations, and populations experiencing increased risk. The 21 other funded projects aimed to prevent trafficking through various means, including peer leadership and mentorship, survivor-informed prevention programming, and anti-trafficking prevention training for service providers, education workers, and community partners. One such project, led by the Elizabeth Fry Society of Greater Vancouver, helped survivors safely reintegrate into society. The project involved developing a gender-responsive training program for frontline case workers supporting women who may be at risk. The training helped frontline workers understand impacts of stigma on individuals and coping strategies.

Additionally, ISC led a number of programs and initiatives that addressed human trafficking, particularly by supporting Indigenous-led projects. For example, the Family Violence Prevention Program funds emergency shelters and transitional (second stage) housing to improve the safety and security of Indigenous women, children, families and Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and additional sexually and gender diverse (2SLGBTQI+) people across Canada, including in the North and in urban centres. In 2024, ISC launched a 2024-2025 Call for Proposal for family violence prevention activities, including anti-human trafficking related activities.

ISC's Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative (2021-2026) funds projects that address the safety and wellbeing of Indigenous communities, which reduces the risk of violence, abuse, and vulnerability to human trafficking. This initiative provided $953,000 in 2023-2024 and $957,000 in 2024-2025 to the Métis Nation of Ontario to increase the capacity of its Community Wellbeing Branch, which funds victim services programs and culturally relevant and holistic services for Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people.

Tackling human trafficking in federal procurement supply chains

PSPC continued to advance efforts to prohibit and prevent human trafficking in federal procurement supply chains.

Learning resources

In 2023, PSPC developed awareness resources for suppliers of at-risk goods to promote ethical procurement best practices. In July 2024, PSPC published materials raising awareness of forced labour, child labour, and human trafficking in supply chains. PSPC is in the final stages of reviewing industry-specific guidance prior to publication. Additionally, in November 2024, PSPC published an online micro-learning video for businesses as an introductory resource on ethical procurement.

Informed by insights from focus group discussions with procurement officers in 2023, PSPC developed a course on ethical procurement for contracting officers. The course, available on PSPC's learning platform, raised awareness of policy obligations and shared tools on preventing human trafficking in public procurement supply chains.

Engagement and research

Consultation with industry stakeholders and experts continued to inform the direction of ethical procurement activities. In summer 2023, PSPC published an executive summary of a What We Heard report, summarizing the results of industry engagement activities, including two hybrid industry sessions and a request for information questionnaire. The sessions featured a panel discussion with representation from industry, government, academia, and the nonprofit sector. The panel discussion raised awareness on supply chain risks, outlined human rights and labour rights priorities, and promoted greater ongoing dialogue with suppliers. The resulting report summarizes industry perspectives and challenges, and provides recommendations to strengthen PSPC's anti-human trafficking efforts.

Additionally, in summer 2023, PSPC finalized a research report mapping international due diligence obligations for businesses, and compliance monitoring frameworks. These reports helped inform ongoing stakeholder engagement and policy work.

In partnership with Shared Services Canada, PSPC entered a one-year contract in November 2023 with Electronics Watch, a leading organization specializing in addressing risks of human rights abuses in electronics supply chains of public buyers. As part of this contract, an engagement session was hosted for Canadian electronics suppliers. This session raised awareness of specific risks associated with the electronics industry and facilitated discussions on best practices for risk mitigation. Electronics Watch's final report included a risk assessment of PSPC's and Shared Services Canada's electronics supply chains, and guidance to strengthen the department's approach to identifying and mitigating supply chain risks.

PSPC also hosted an International Contracting Officers Forum, in collaboration with the Steering Committee for the Principles to Guide Government Action to Combat Human Trafficking in Global Supply Chains. PSPC held sessions in February and May 2025, and committee members included Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The forum enabled contracting officers to share working-level best practices and challenges in addressing forced labour and child labour in public procurement supply chains.

Policy initiatives

PSPC continued to develop and refine its procurement policies to enhance ethical sourcing. As of April 1, 2023, the Code of Conduct for Procurement was made mandatory for all Government of Canada procurements. The code includes clear requirements for federal suppliers and their sub-contractors regarding forced labour and child labour.

PSPC has anti-forced labor clauses in all goods contracts, and, in November 2023, expanded these clauses to include Standing Offers and Supply Arrangements. Their improved scope enables the set-aside of a standing offer, or the suspension or cancellation of a supply arrangement, upon reasonable grounds that the offered goods and/or services were produced using exploitative practices. As of December 2024, the anti-forced labour clauses apply to all goods, services, and research & development procurements. The implementation of these clauses is part of an ongoing commitment to ensure that federal procurements are made with suppliers that maintain their supply chains free of human trafficking and forced labour.

In 2023, PSPC drafted the Policy on Ethical Procurement and began stakeholder consultations. The policy approach defines, formalizes, and frames departmental commitments to ethical procurement, and establishes the basis for ethical procurement programs, initiatives, and frameworks to advance these commitments. PSPC is in the final stages of publishing its ethical procurement policy approach on its website in 2025. The policy approach will continue to be operationalized by a subsequent human rights due diligence framework, which was drafted in 2024. Pending approval, the framework will highlight existing and upcoming measures and initiatives to prevent forced labour, child labour, and human trafficking in public procurement supply chains. Industry engagement efforts and consultations are set to continue throughout 2025 and beyond.

Prevention

Prevention efforts are essential to tackling human trafficking in all its forms. Between 2023 and 2025, initiatives under the prevention pillar continued to increase awareness and build capacity to prevent human trafficking in Canada and abroad. Initiatives under this pillar include:

Increasing awareness

In 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, Public Safety Canada continued its work on the National Human Trafficking Public Awareness Campaign (launched in February 2021) to raise awareness of the prevalence of human trafficking, the recognition of common warning signs and misperceptions of the crime, and how to safely report suspected cases. The campaign targets Canadian youth and young adults, parents and caregivers, and populations experiencing increased risk (including Indigenous populations and newcomers to Canada).

Public Safety Canada conducted a five-year quantitative tracking survey in 2023-2024 to identify changes in Canadians' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours on the topic of human trafficking against the baseline quantitative survey (conducted in 2020). Results showed a decline in the percentage of Canadians that still believe human trafficking is not a serious problem in their local community or neighbourhood (43% in 2023, versus 50% reported in the 2020 baseline survey). Additionally, a majority of youth (6 in 10) believe human trafficking happens occasionally or that it is quite rare, and affects a minority of young people only. As well, awareness of resources to get help remains low (with 9 in 10 Canadians being unaware of any specific anti-human trafficking support helplines or resource websites).Footnote 1 Results also showed that more than half of Canadian youth acknowledged that they could be a victim of human trafficking (as opposed to one-third in 2020).Footnote 2 Campaign awareness initiatives will continue to build relevancy and demonstrate that human trafficking is a relevant problem to all Canadians.

In early 2024, exploratory focus groups were conducted with Indigenous youth, and parents and caregivers of Indigenous youth to gather behavioural insights on current knowledge levels, attitudes, and opinions related to human trafficking. Additionally, in fall 2024, a follow-up round of focus groups was conducted with Indigenous audiences to test the effectiveness and appeal of proposed advertising concepts and messaging. The insights from these focus groups will inform Public Safety Canada of the strategic direction and development of future marketing products for Indigenous audiences.

For the United Nations (UN) World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, 2023, the advertising awareness campaign had digital billboards at Yonge and Dundas Square in Toronto, and in 2024, had 16 billboards across major Canadian cities. In July 2023 and 2024, FINTRAC brought together Government of Canada employees, law enforcement members, prosecutors and NGOs, and others to raise awareness and in the context of the UN World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. FINTRAC partnered with stakeholders such as the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking and the University of Ottawa's Telfer School of Management.

In 2023-2025, Public Safety Canada continued to optimize and diversify its paid media channel selections, while exercising fiscal discipline in adapting existing creative materials. National distribution of out-of-home signage occurred in places such as malls, bars, clubs, bus shelters, apartment buildings, and convenience and grocery stores across Canada. Video and digital advertising tactics were delivered through high performance platforms such as Google, Snapchat, Tinder, Spotify, and YouTube via online banner advertising and search engine marketing.

In fall 2023-2024, new campaign activities included TV integration segments in coordination with expert spokespersons from the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking, and anti-forced labour advertising developed in eight languages (French, English, Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ukrainian).

During large scale public events in 2024-2025, the awareness campaign launched sex trafficking specific prevention messaging. This included advertising in the Montréal urban core before and during the June 2024 Formula 1 race-weekend at Grand Prix du Canada. Complementing the in-market advertising activities, Public Safety Canada collaborated with the Cresent Street Grand Prix Festival to have street-level marketing activations. Festival placements included outdoor barricades, floor decals, video rotating displays, and organic social media on the event social media pages. Campaign ambassadors were given on-site roaming rights, engaging with more than 200,000 festival attendees and distributing over 5,000 Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline number cards.

To date, the human trafficking advertising campaign generated over 284 million impressions, 38 million completed video views, and over 557,000 visits to the Public Safety Canada's marketing campaign website. During the most recent 2024-2025 advertising campaign period, nearly 5,000 outbound connections were reported to the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline to seek help.

In 2023-2025, Public Safety Canada frequently updated its human trafficking web content to promote the Government of Canada's efforts to combat human trafficking, supports for victims and survivors, resources, federal programs, and funding opportunities. In this timeframe, there were more than 80,000 visits to the English web pages and more than 6,000 to the French web pages. These results represent a moderate increase compared to previous years, which may indicate a heightened interest in and continued relevance of the content.

Additionally, since 2020, Public Safety Canada hosts webinar series on human trafficking to increase awareness and engage key stakeholders across Canada, with over 600 participants annually. Public Safety Canada's Education and Awareness of Human Trafficking page contains a summary of the 2024 webinars.

Further, Public Safety Canada continued to support the Canadian Centre to End Hunman Trafficking's multilingual, 24/7 toll-free Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline that refers victims to local law enforcement, shelters, and a range of other supports and services. It can be accessed at 1-833-900-1010 or via the hotline's webpage. In 2023, the federal government allocated $2.89 million annually through to 2028 to the hotline to ensure its continued operations. In February 2024, the Centre launched an awareness campaign around National Human Trafficking Awareness Day to facilitate conversations around sex trafficking, especially with young people. The "It's Time to T.A.L.K" campaign was created in consultation with survivors of sex trafficking and includes a downloadable guide for having conversations about sex trafficking (PDF).

As a prevention measure, employers in Canada are required to provide temporary foreign workers with information about their rights in Canada. To promote awareness about this requirement, ESDC developed an online pamphlet called "Your Rights are Protected," which informs temporary foreign workers on their rights, available supports, and ways to report abuse and suspected cases of human trafficking in the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) Program.

The TFW Program verifies employer compliance, including via unannounced on-site inspections. In 2023-2025, ESDC assessed 15,322 leads and allegations of potential employer wrongdoing in the TFW Program, and found that 434 were human trafficking and/or exploitation related. Visit the Government of Canada's website to learn more about the TFW Program.

ESDC also operates a confidential tip line, where temporary foreign workers can report abuse without fear of reprisal. All instances requiring criminal enforcement are referred to CBSA, RCMP, and local police.

The RCMP has a network of 13 human trafficking coordinators across Canada who led public outreach efforts to raise awareness about human trafficking. The coordinators noted an increase in the number of reported human trafficking complaints, in part reflecting greater awareness of how to identify and report the crime. For example, in Alberta, complaints increased from 37 in 2022 to 182 in 2024.

In 2024-2025, the RCMP hosted a virtual speaker series with expert-led conversations on the issue of human trafficking to increase knowledge among RCMP employees. Topics included coercive control, gender-based violence, the impact of technological advances, and human trafficking of men and boys. Approximately 535 RCMP frontline members and staff participated.

In early 2025, RCMP partnered with the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking to distribute materials to temporary foreign workers arriving at Canadian ports of entry, raising awareness about signs of labour trafficking. The information cards, available in English, French, Punjabi, Arabic and Spanish, are primarily distributed by CBSA staff.

GAC's Office of Protocol, in collaboration with IRCC, conducted outreach to accredited domestic workers in diplomatic households on various topics, including human trafficking, before they arrived in Canada and as an integral part of their entry visa process. The Office of Protocol also conducted outreach to accredited domestic workers during their employment period in Canada, ensuring that workers understand their contractual rights and can ask questions about their employment situation. As part of the entry visa approval process, the Government of Canada vets employment contracts of proposed domestic workers to ensure the contracts comply with provincial labour laws and standards.

Support for organizations combatting human trafficking

Under Stream A of the Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime, Public Safety Canada contributed nearly $434,000 in 2023-2024 to five community-based organizations and nearly $341,000 to four community-based organizations in 2024-2025 to deliver innovative initiatives that raise awareness of human trafficking and promote preventive actions among at-risk youth. For example:

The government continued to fund the Migrant Worker Support (MWS) Program, which helped migrant workers learn, understand, and exercise their rights in Canada, including providing supports at the airport upon arrival. The MWS Program funds over 110 community organizations across the country to provide in-community and on-arrival services to help migrant workers learn about and exercise their rights. Funded organizations do so by providing migrant worker-centric support programs and services, such as on-arrival orientation services, information workshops, legal support, and assistance in emergency and at-risk situations. In 2023-2024, recipients of this funding reported over 630,000 service interactions with temporary foreign workers.

An online Migrant Worker Hub provides consistent and accurate resources for temporary foreign workers, the organizations that assist them, and their employers.

The Government of Canada also supported anti-human trafficking efforts abroad through GAC's Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program (ACCBP) to enhance the capacity of beneficiary states to prevent and respond to threats posed by international criminal activity with a focus on the Americas. One of the program's priorities is to combat human trafficking. The ACCBP provided approximately $5.9 million to six projects in 2023-2024 and $5.4 million for 2024-2025. Two of these projects included:

Improving knowledge on human trafficking

Public Safety Canada continued to support the release of police-reported and court data on human trafficking. In Canada, data from the Uniform Crime Reporting SurveyFootnote 3 and the Integrated Criminal Court Survey, Footnote 4 collected by Statistics Canada's Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, are primary sources of data. According to these data, police-reported incidents of human trafficking in Canada generally increased year over year since 2013.

On November 1, 2024, Statistics Canada released "Trafficking in Persons in Canada, 2023." This article uses police-reported data about offences under the Criminal Code and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to examine human trafficking trends, the age and gender of victims and accused persons, and court case outcomes. To increase awareness and improve data collection about incidents of human trafficking, the Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics at Statistics Canada developed a training module for police services in Canada. The training includes information about the nature of human trafficking and details about how to code such incidents in the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey.

Protection

Initiatives under the protection pillar of the National Strategy continued throughout 2023-2025 to train officials and address gaps in existing supports to ensure the provision of culturally informed services.

Protecting victims and survivors

Justice Canada provided $1.9 million to sixteen projects in 2023-2024 and $2.6 million to sixteen projects in 2024-2025 through the Victims Fund. All these projects are multi-year, continuing into future fiscal years. These projects improved services for victims and survivors of human trafficking, and developed and delivered training for law enforcement officers and frontline service providers who worked directly with victims and survivors. For example:

RENEW Mental Health and Addictions Program

The Governing Council of the Salvation Army in Canada-Illuminate offered RENEW, a mental health and addictions program for victims and survivors of human trafficking in two specialized tracks of support. Full-time, in-person programming was provided to residents of their live-in program with the goal of eventual transition to appropriate long-term community supports once stable and available. Part-time programming (in-person or digitally) was provided in the community for members of their outreach program, allowing for those who do not meet the mandate of the intensive program (i.e., male, have children, or cannot relocate to BC) to participate anywhere in Canada. The program seeks to remove barriers to supports and services to allow for immediate access to programming and rehabilitation specialized to the needs of survivors.

The Essentials Program

New Opportunities for Women (NOW) Canada Society offered a program for victims and survivors of human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and abuse and addictions that offered immediate safe and supported housing, a four-month life-skills program, and individualized case planning and client support. The program encourages growth, builds resilience, and empowers participants to become independent and safe.

The Umbrella Project

Stepping Stone Association offered a trauma-informed, holistic care and support program for victims and survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the sex trade. Services included one-on-one and group supports such as counselling, community navigation, safety planning, mental health supports, financial literacy, and group programs on employment readiness, healthy relationships, and personal development.

Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate Program

Covenant House (Toronto, Ontario) offered an advocacy program for victims of human trafficking and delivered services responsive to their needs with the goal of promoting their physical, psychological, and social recovery. The program connects victims to resources and supports including housing, trauma counselling, employment and education assistance, addiction services and legal supports. As part of this program, the organization also provides training to Crown attorneys, police, judiciary and community partner agencies, on the unique factors facing these young women and how to best support them through trauma informed practices, as well as identification of risk factors that impede the process for young women.

Trainings for community workers and officials

The RCMP provides information on human trafficking to transportation services employees, religious communities, other federal departments, and provincial victim services staff and P/T partners. This information includes training on how to effectively identify a situation of human trafficking and how to respond and report it. The RCMP provides training to its frontline employees and its specialized teams, Indigenous youths, general public training, and referral materials.

CBSA provides training on trafficking in persons to new recruits and offers a related online course. While the online course is available to all CBSA employees, it is intended for those responsible for the prevention or interception of trafficking in persons (TIP) and victims of trafficking in persons (VTIP) cases and is included in the national training standards for those employees, such as criminal investigators.

CBSA's in-person training provides information for staff to prevent or intercept TIP cases and promote victim safety by referring individuals to government and non-governmental services. In 2023-2025, the training products have seen over 2,450 completions.

CBSA's Trafficking in Persons Intelligence Analyst Group provided numerous presentations/information sessions to the CBSA frontline (Inland Enforcement, Border Services Officers, Intelligence) in multiple regions. The analysts also participated in at least five conferences or training sessions.

Finally, CBSA's National Targeting Centre and the Criminal Investigations and the Intelligence Collection, Analysis and Production Division participated in presentations as part of the Human Trafficking Investigator's Course given by the Canadian Police College.

IRCC continuously expands its training portfolio to ensure that officers have the knowledge and sensitivity required for processing human trafficking cases. Training occurred through a trauma-informed approach, which enables officers to better protect victims and survivors of human trafficking. IRCC constantly develops new guidance for officers and analyzes trends to ensure training is relevant.

During 2023-2025, several training and program guidance initiatives took place. These aimed to: increase awareness of human trafficking among IRCC officers; increase case conferencing between program guidance experts and IRCC officers working with populations experiencing increased risk; and provide specialized trauma-informed training to the new centralized unit that processes applications for populations in situations of vulnerability in Canada.

IRCC mandates training on human trafficking for new Foreign Service Officers and Locally Engaged Migration Officers as part of the Foreign Service Development Program's core curriculum. The training, offered by the Province of Ontario, explains dynamics and indicators of human trafficking, which can help migration officers identify trafficked persons when processing applications. This training is shared with IRCC offices abroad.

In 2023-2024, IRCC provided training to all new inland immigration officers working on trafficking cases. In fall 2023 and winter 2024, immigration officers in Canada participated in an annual symposium on vulnerable populations. Topics covered included: the decision-making process; policy background; program delivery instructions; best practices; and an examination of data on the demographics of human trafficking in Canada.

Investigations to support law enforcement

IRCC conducted large-scale administrative investigations into human trafficking networks to identify potential foreign national victims and/or perpetrators. Approximately 20 investigations were initiated during the 2023-2025 reporting period to support enforcement partners and provide valuable information to immigration officers globally, helping them better detect human trafficking cases.

In addition to briefing processing officers on the results of investigations, certain TRP applications are flagged for officer intervention. IRCC continued to work closely with law enforcement partners to develop trafficking indicators for use by decision-makers when processing visa applications.

The RCMP continues to build capacity across the country to investigate human trafficking cases and enhance awareness and education. For example, in 2024, the RCMP's Nova Scotia Integrated Human Trafficking Unit expanded from a team of 5 frontline officers to 13 officers, analysts, and municipal police force constables. The unit disrupts human trafficking victimization in Nova Scotia by supporting victims, utilizing innovative and proactive enforcement strategies, cultivating intelligence, and working with domestic partners to educate frontline officers and the public.

In 2025, the RCMP established a Counter Human Trafficking Unit in British Columbia (BC). The 13-person team combats human trafficking through education, training programs, and a dedicated investigative unit. This RCMP unit provides specialized training for BC law enforcement members, probation officers, youth outreach workers, and partners such as CBSA and Customs and Border Protection. It also organizes training and community forums to address the unique challenges faced by youth, with a focus on Indigenous communities.

Protecting foreign nationals

As a protection measure, IRCC issues temporary resident permits (TRPs) to out-of-status foreign nationals (and their dependents in Canada) who are victims of human trafficking. Between January 2023 and February 2025, IRCC issued approximately 265 TRPs to out-of-status foreign national victims of human trafficking and their dependents. TRPs allow victims to access an open work or study permit, as well as health care coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program, which includes medical and psychological services and prescription drug coverage.

In 2024, IRCC changed its processing model for TRPs. Before, these permits were processed regionally within IRCC's in-Canada processing networks, with files assigned based on the applicant's location. In 2024, IRCC centralized processing within one office with expertise on supporting vulnerable populations, which promotes a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach to processing applications. This has significantly reduced processing times, with the average TRP being processed in 67 days in 2024 (down from 220 days in 2023).

IRCC regularly reviews its protective measures to ensure that they are responsive to the needs of victims, survivors and their dependants in Canada. As such, IRCC identified and removed several barriers to allow victims greater access to supports. In 2024, IRCC reviewed its ministerial instructions and public policies to improve facilitative measures protecting vulnerable foreign national victims of human trafficking in Canada. On February 4, 2025, the following changes came into force: 1) the duration of the initial TRP increased from up to 6 months to at least 12 months, with some exceptions and 2) fee exemptions expanded for subsequent TRPs, work permits, study permits, and biometrics. A subsequent TRP may be issued for up to 3 years based on an in-depth assessment.

Over five years of the National Strategy (2019-2024), CBSA reviewed its immigration enforcement and inadmissibility policy frameworks to reduce inadvertent re-traumatization of victims and survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence. The review encompassed the entirety of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. As a result of the review, CBSA developed a Gender-based Violence Work Plan and identified seven policy gaps and areas for potential policy, legislative, and regulatory reforms to integrate considerations for victims and survivors of gender-based violence.

The Gender-based Violence Work Plan is designed to include all forms of gender-based violence, including human trafficking, in line with stakeholder recommendations. Through the Work Plan, the Agency completed a regulatory amendment incorporating gender-based violence considerations and plans to pursue the remaining six identified legislative and regulatory amendments with ongoing funding. In October 2024, the Agency also published its Gender-Based Violence Guiding Principles and Commitments, which affirms CBSA's commitment to supporting gender-based violence victims and survivors in its policies, programs, and operational responsibilities under the IRPA.

Protecting temporary foreign workers

Employers of foreign workers are expected to meet regulatory requirements and conditions under the TFW Program and International Mobility Program to prevent potential mistreatment or abuse of employees. In September 2022, regulatory amendments came into force to strengthen protections for temporary foreign workers. These changes improved employer inspections, increased awareness of worker's rights, prohibited reprisals by employers, and prohibited recruitment fees charged to workers.

The government operates a confidential tip line which provides a safe way for temporary foreign workers to report abuse without fear of reprisal. The government also continued to fund the Migrant Worker Support Program, which helps migrant workers learn, understand, and exercise their rights in Canada, including providing supports at the airport upon arrival.

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (the Regulations), migrant workers in Canada can apply for a work permit if they wish to change employers. Under the Regulations (S. 199), temporary workers (work permit holders) and international students (study permit holders) in Canada have the authority to apply for new work or study permits if they meet eligibility criteria for work or study permit streams. A public policy remains in effect that allows temporary foreign workers who have lost or are changing jobs to more quickly start working with a new employer more quickly while their new work permit is being processed. This measure provides interim work authorization, as opposed to waiting for their new work permit to be issued.

In 2019, IRCC introduced the Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers (OWP-V), allowing holders of employer-specific work permits to leave situations where they are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, abuse in the context of their employment in Canada by securing an open work permit, typically issued for a one year period. This helps remove some of the barriers to reporting abuse, and allows workers to change jobs and maintain their immigration status in Canada. A temporary worker does not need to stay in an abusive situation to be eligible for an OWP-V.

Tips received by ESDC and IRCC, including those involving potential human trafficking, may trigger an employer compliance inspection. All instances requiring criminal enforcement is referred to CBSA, RCMP, and local police.

Prosecution

In 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, initiatives under the prosecution pillar continued work to increase the criminal justice system capacity to identify and prosecute human trafficking cases. For example, in the article, "Trafficking in persons in Canada, 2023", Statistics Canada provides information on human trafficking cases that reached adult criminal courts. From 2012-2013 to 2022-2023, 1,184 cases involving 4,000 human trafficking charges were completed in adult criminal court in Canada. In general, the number of human trafficking cases and charges increased over this time period.

Cross-border movements

In 2023-2025, a total of 23 new criminal investigation cases of suspected human trafficking were identified, including those referred by police, pursued jointly with the police, and 23 cases of CBSA human trafficking charges secondary to other IRPA charges. CBSA Immigration Enforcement Investigations reviewed suspected human trafficking cases, which were identified under transnational trafficking in persons cases that fall under IRPA's 37(1)(b) inadmissibility provision.

CBSA's National Targeting Centre provides an ongoing review of existing scenario based targeting rules, as well as the creation of new scenarios to focus on new trends and areas of concern. In 2023-2025, a total of 17 scenario-based rules were reviewed and six new ones were developed.

In 2023-2025, CBSA's Dedicated Experts Group continued to coordinate, consult and develop strategies to ensure that CBSA officers, in Canada and abroad, are better prepared when detecting, investigating, and disrupting human trafficking.

Training for law enforcement

Justice Canada, along with provincial and territorial partners, updated the Federal, Provincial, Territorial (FPT) Handbook for Criminal Justice Practitioners on Trafficking in Persons, which was made publicly available in January 2024. The Handbook provides criminal justice practitioners with guidance in the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases and covers various subjects, such as indicators of human trafficking for sexual exploitation and forced labour. The Handbook was distributed across Canada through the FPT Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials on Criminal Justice.

In 2023-2024, the RCMP continued work to increase the criminal justice system's capacity to identify and prosecute human trafficking cases. To effectively prosecute cases, human trafficking investigations require specialized, trauma-informed and victim-centered expertise. In 2024, the RCMP updated its policy pertaining to human trafficking investigations to reflect legislative changes and evolving investigative techniques. The policy provides guidelines and procedures to follow when RCMP members are investigating suspected cases of human trafficking.
The RCMP's National Human Trafficking Section, in consultation with other law enforcement agencies, lawyers and service providers, continues to partner with the Canadian Police Knowledge Network (CPKN). Their "Introduction to Human Trafficking" and "Survivor-Led Human Trafficking Detection Training" courses for Canadian law enforcement personnel are available in both official languages through the CPKN website and the RCMP internal website. The trainings aim to provide frontline police officers with knowledge and experience to handle human trafficking investigations and to increase frontline officer knowledge in approaching victims in a trauma-informed way.

The Canadian Police College continued to offer the Human Trafficking Investigators Course, an intensive eight-day training program that provides police with knowledge of Canada's human trafficking environment, applicable laws, unique aspects of investigating, and gathering evidence, and greater awareness of victim-centered approaches and sensitive interviewing techniques.

FINTRAC provided 25 presentations in 2023-2024 and 32 presentations in 2024-2025 related to Project Protect to various stakeholders addressing human trafficking across Canada. For example, FINTRAC presents multiple times a year at the federal Human Trafficking Investigations course (Canadian Police College) and the provincial Human Trafficking Investigations course (Ontario Police College). In total, FINTRAC conducted over 66 outreach and training activities related to human trafficking in 2023-2025, with audiences ranging from small, individual-level (less than five) to large groups (more than 50). These trainings demonstrated how law enforcement uses financial intelligence within FINTRAC disclosures in their investigations and how this intelligence can be leveraged to support human trafficking prosecutions.

Since 2024, the RCMP's National Human Trafficking Section and Human Trafficking coordinators have provided in-person training across Canada to RCMP employees as part of a sexual offence investigations workshop, aiming to educate police officers on how to identify and investigate sexual offences, including a module on human trafficking. The training is delivered to multiple RCMP jurisdictions across the country and is scheduled to continue on a regular basis.

In early 2025, the Texas Department of Public Safety shared its "Interdiction for the Protection of Children" training with 65 RCMP members in Regina, Saskatchewan. The course focuses on how to identify potential human trafficking situations during routine traffic stops and how to investigate and address the situation. Twelve RCMP employees across multiple disciplines were trained to deliver the course to more RCMP staff across Canada.

Following the money

Launched in 2016, Project Protect is a public-private partnership aimed at combatting human trafficking through enhanced financial intelligence that supports investigations and prosecutions. Under this Project, FINTRAC developed an Operational Alert, "Indicators: The laundering of illicit proceeds from human trafficking for sexual exploitation," in order to increase awareness and understanding of money laundering in relation to human trafficking in the sex trade. The alert includes a comprehensive list of indicators to assist businesses in identifying financial transactions and patterns of activity related to human trafficking in the sex trade and then in reporting to FINTRAC.

In 2021, FINTRAC released an updated Operational Alert titled, "Updated Indicators: Laundering of proceeds from human trafficking for sexual exploitation," which added approximately sixty additional financial and contextual indicators to assist reporting entities in recognizing financial transactions suspected of being related to the laundering of proceeds related to human trafficking for sexual exploitation. The trends identified in the 2016 and 2021 Operational Alerts related to the laundering of proceeds derived from human trafficking for sexual exploitation remain relevant.

Under the auspices of Project Protect, based on the reporting by private sector reporting entities, FINTRAC provided over 1,900 disclosures of actionable financial intelligence, including thousands of transaction reports, to Canada's municipal, provincial, and federal police forces in support of their human trafficking investigations. A large part of these disclosures was provided proactively, meaning that FINTRAC identified individuals and/or networks within the financial intelligence that may have been previously unknown to law enforcement.

In 2023-2024, FINTRAC provided disclosures in support of 24 project-level investigations concerning human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation:

FINTRAC further produced valuable strategic intelligence to inform the public, private sector entities, and other government departments and agencies about trends, developments, and patterns related to the laundering of the proceeds of human trafficking. This included the expansion of Project Protect in 2023-2024 to include the laundering of proceeds associated with labour trafficking, in keeping with Canada's Updated Assessment if Inherent Risks of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.

In 2024-2025, FINTRAC provided disclosures in support of 26 project-level investigations concerning human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation:

Partnerships

Throughout 2023-2024 and 2024-2025, federal, provincial, and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations and others continue to work collaboratively to address cross-cutting issues and trends related to human trafficking under the partnerships pillar. For example:

Domestic collaboration

In January 2025, the Government of Canada appointed Jennifer Richardson as Chief Advisor to Combat Human Trafficking, for a term of three years. In this role, Ms. Richardson provides ongoing advice and recommendations to the Minister of Public Safety on Canada's anti-human trafficking efforts, engages with key stakeholders and partners to identify opportunities for collaboration, raises awareness through public speaking and stakeholder engagement in domestic and international fora, and informs the Government of Canada's overall response to human trafficking. Ms. Richardson also works with the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Indigenous partners to advance the human trafficking related Calls for Justice with respect to the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

The Human Trafficking Taskforce (HTT) continued to oversee the implementation of the National Strategy and to coordinate federal efforts. A key deliverable during this reporting period was the collective efforts of HTT members to develop an engagement plan and conduct engagement sessions to inform the National Strategy's renewal. Throughout the reporting period, the taskforce also regularly shared information, solutions and research to support the achievement of objectives under the National Strategy and collaborated to respond to performance and financial reporting and international requests, such as the U.S. Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report.

In July 2023, FINTRAC hosted a virtual webinar, supported by the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking and Public Safety Canada, for the UN's World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. The webinar, titled No Survivor Left Behind: Eradicating Labour Trafficking in Canada, included remarks from the Chief of UNODC, the Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section. The event included a case study presentation by law enforcement and legal professionals and a moderated panel discussion on diverse perspectives on labor trafficking in Canada.

Federal/provincial/territorial collaboration

The Government of Canada continued its engagement with its federal, provincial, and territorial (FPT) partners. For example, the FPT Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials-Criminal Justice on Human Trafficking, which is focused on human trafficking in the criminal justice context, and the FPT Trafficking in Persons Working Group, which addresses human trafficking in the broader context, meet regularly to share information and advance priorities for collective action.

The RCMP continued to co-chair the National Human Trafficking Working Group with Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, a working group for law-enforcement agencies with distinct human trafficking units, including municipal and provincial police forces. The working group discusses hot issues, trends, investigative tactics and provincial/territorial/municipal needs with regards to human trafficking investigations and victim support across Canada.

International engagement

From 2023-2025, Canada engaged in a wide range of multilateral and regional forums to advance global efforts to combat human trafficking and to share domestic achievements, challenges, and best practices. Through participation in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime's (UNODC) Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), and its Working Group on Trafficking in Persons, Canada promoted the implementation of international legal instruments and advocated for prevention-oriented, victim- and survivor-centered approaches.

These efforts resulted in the co-sponsorship of resolutions addressing trafficking in persons, delivery of interventions advocating for Canada's approach to combatting human trafficking, support for the development of international guidance and tools, and strengthened partnerships with like-minded countries and international organizations. Canada's leadership also contributed to enhanced international cooperation and coherence in counter-trafficking efforts across other platforms, including the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Regional Conference on Migration, the Bali Process, Alliance 8.7, the Global Compact for Migration and Refugees, and G7 and G20 initiatives.

For a full list of multilateral engagements, please refer here:

Since July 1, 2020, the Customs Tariff prohibits the import of all goods mined, manufactured or produced, wholly or in part, by forced labour pursuant to commitments outlined in the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. The import prohibition was expanded in January 2024 to include goods mined, manufactured or produced, wholly or in part, by "child labour," through the enactment of the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (Supply Chains Act).

The Supply Chains Act also introduced a new public reporting regime to increase awareness and transparency about forced labour and child labour, and to encourage responsible business practices. Effective January 1, 2024, certain entities and government institutions are required to report annually to the Minister of Public Safety on their efforts to prevent or reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour was used in their supply chains. These reports are due to the Minister of Public Safety by May 31 each year, and are made publicly available on Public Safety Canada's Library Catalogue website.

In 2023-2024, FINTRAC conducted several awareness and outreach activities centered on Project Protect and sharing how financial intelligence units can establish public-private partnership to combat human trafficking, best practices, and lessons learned from Canada's experience over the past six years. These activities further raised awareness by sharing case study examples, as well as project-level results stemming from tactical financial intelligence disclosures. For example, information sharing, and presentations were delivered to the Europol Financial Intelligence Public Private Partnership project, the International forum "Financial monitoring – 2023" and the OSCE over the course of 2023-2024. FINTRAC provided 10 international presentations on Project Protect to international audiences through the UNODC, OSCE, the International Law Enforcement Training Network, the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists and the Finance Against Slavery and Trafficking initiative.

In 2024-2025, FINTRAC provided 13 international presentations on Project Protect to international audiences continuing to conduct presentations through the UNODC, and the OSCE. Additionally FINTRAC conducted presentations to Nigeria's financial intelligence unit regarding technical assistance for building a public-private partnership, Ukraine's financial intelligence unit and Germany's Anti-Financial Crime Alliance event on disrupting human trafficking in Germany.

Key considerations for a renewed National Strategy

Engagement process

From August 2024 to March 2025, Public Safety Canada conducted engagement sessions with domestic and international participants, including survivors and those with lived experience, representatives from non-governmental organizations, Indigenous organizations, law enforcement agencies, front-line service providers, different levels of government, academia, civil society, and the private sector. Engagement took place via in-person and virtual consultations, and through a survey questionnaire. Over 200 respondents took part in the meetings and/or submitted input through the questionnaire.

These engagements aimed to identify issues, gaps, and challenges affecting Canada's ability to counter human trafficking; to identify actions to address these issues; and to ensure that Canada's approach remains effective, modern, victim-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally sensitive. Domestic and international reports, including the Horizontal Evaluation of the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking and the FEWO's report: "Act Now: Preventing Human Trafficking of Women, Girls and Gender Diverse People in Canada (PDF)", have noted the success of the Strategy's five-pillar approach: prevention; protection; prosecutions; partnerships; and, empowerment, while also identifying key areas for improvement. Three priority areas were identified to guide engagement and discussions to inform the renewed National Strategy:

  1. Address all and emerging forms of human trafficking: Determine how to enable an approach that can address the two most prevalent forms of human trafficking: sex and labour trafficking - understanding the similarities and differences between these forms of exploitation - while also being nimble enough to respond to the intersecting elements of other forms, such as forced criminality and child trafficking
  2. Support populations experiencing increased risk: Identify how best to support groups experiencing increased risk of becoming trafficked due to individual identity factors and experiences, systemic oppression and discrimination, as well as social and economic inequalities
  3. Employ international best practices and technological advancements: Determine how to use existing and emerging international best practices on an ongoing basis and leverage technology to help address human trafficking, including better data collection

The three priority areas guided the engagement process, including the discussion and survey questionnaires, and helped shape the structure of this report. The information and feedback from the engagements have been organized into key themes to capture key insights and recommendations.

Participation was voluntary, and participants were informed that their input would be included in a summary report. All responses in this report are completely anonymous and cannot be linked to individuals or specific organizations. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the participants and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Government of Canada.

Also, the report uses the terms 'victim,' 'survivor,' and 'lived experience expert' with distinct meanings. 'Victim' refers to an individual who is being trafficked or has suffered harm as a result of trafficking. 'Survivor' refers to an individual who has exited trafficking and may be engaged in a healing process. Footnote 5 'Person with lived experience' describes an individual who has personally experienced trafficking and may or may not work in a professional capacity in the anti-human trafficking sector. Some individuals prefer this term as it better reflects the complexity of their identity beyond the labels of 'victim' or 'survivor'. This report avoids the term 'stakeholder' as it may not adequately reflect the nature of respectful collaboration and shared responsibility.

Address all and emerging forms of human trafficking

What we heard

Participants noted that the most prevalent forms of human trafficking in Canada remain trafficking for sexual exploitation and forced labour. Other intersecting forms, including child trafficking and forced criminality, were also raised, though with more limited data on prevalence. Respondents highlighted the growing role of organized crime groups in human trafficking and the use of technology to facilitate these crimes, including the rise in online recruitment. The rapidly evolving nature of the crime, both in Canada and globally, underscores the importance of collective effort to adapt and address emerging forms of trafficking and target structured criminal networks. Key takeaways from this section include the need to better define the different forms of human trafficking, while focusing strategic efforts on sex and labour trafficking, and distinguish human trafficking from other types of exploitation and consensual sex work, strengthen the capacity to identify and investigate all types of trafficking, and ensure legislation covers all forms of trafficking.

Respondents reported anecdotally that domestic trafficking for sexual exploitation remains the most common form of human trafficking in Canada. Recent reporting from StatsCan found that women and girls are the most frequently detected victims, making up 93% of victims according to police- reported data. Children and youth younger than 18 years make up about one quarter (23%) of victims.Footnote 6 Respondents highlighted certain groups of people may face elevated risk of becoming trafficked, such as youth, particularly those in child welfare and justice systems, Indigenous women and girls, individuals living with disabilities and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals. The factors that contribute to an individual's susceptibility to exploitation will be discussed in greater detail in the following section entitled Support Populations Experiencing Increased Risk.

Children and youth victims were a recurrent focus of respondents, with two key trends emerging. First, the trafficking and exploitation of young women and girls, particularly for sexual exploitation, is a growing concern, especially online. Several participants emphasized that young people are increasingly targeted through social media, and digital grooming tactics. These concerns are supported by a 2024 Statistics Canada release, which found that child sexual exploitation increased by 217% from 2014 to 2022. Footnote 7 The large majority (84%) of victims of police-reported online sexual offences against children and youth were youth aged 12 to 17, and most (84%) were girls. Sex trafficking of minors often intersects with other forms of exploitation, such as forced labour, debt bondage, and involuntary domestic servitude. Further, there is increasing attention on young boys being recruited into trafficking, either as victims or as traffickers themselves, often through forced criminal activities. Respondents also raised concerns about the lack of prevention efforts specifically targeting young men and boys to deter them from becoming traffickers.

Participants also observed that trafficking for forced labour occurs across a broad range of sectors in Canada, including agriculture, construction, hospitality, manufacturing and personal services. Migrants with precarious immigration statuses, including migrant workers, international students, and temporary foreign workers (TFWs), were identified as the most common victims of labour trafficking in Canada. They are particularly susceptible to exploitation and abuse due to economic pressures, language barriers, precarious legal status, and limited access to support services. Debt bondage and domestic servitude were also noted as prevalent forms of trafficking for forced labour in the country. Hidden industries, such as private care and domestic services, often conceal exploited workers, making them less visible and harder to detect. Respondents also highlighted that recruiters, such as immigration consultants, increasingly use common social media platforms to lure victims. Recruitment often starts in the victims' countries of origin through online platforms, personal connections, or deceptive advertisements, making the trafficking process less visible and difficult to prevent.

It was noted that labour trafficking remains significantly underreported, with fewer resources and less awareness for detection and investigation compared to sex trafficking. Participants highlighted significant disparities across provinces and territories in terms resources, training, and investigative capacity, making it difficult to assess the true gravity of the crime. Migrants may also hesitate to report their situations due to fears of deportation or criminalization. In addition, individuals who have experienced labour trafficking may be unable to access social assistance, housing, or other essential supports, leaving them with few safe alternatives if they come forward. These barriers further complicate efforts to address the problem. Participants emphasized the importance of improving protections and support systems to encourage victims to come forward and help address these vulnerabilities.

Many respondents reported encountering human trafficking cases for the purpose of forced criminality, although this remains less common compared to trafficking sexual exploitation and forced labour. There is low awareness around this form of exploitation, which involves being coerced into illegal activities, like theft, shoplifting, drug dealing, and weapon trafficking. Forced criminality is frequently coupled with sexual exploitation, and survivors may be more likely to accept criminal charges for the acts they were forced to commit than to report their traffickers. As a result, victims of forced criminality are often criminalized rather than protected, such as migrants without legal status or refugee claimants, who may be unable to access protections due to their immigration status

Respondents identified other forms of exploitation linked to human trafficking, including forced marriage and forced surrogacy/pregnancy. While reports on these issues were shared, detailed information on their scope and prevalence remains limited. Instances of forced marriage were noted in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, but further information was not provided. A municipal program in Ontario reported that several frontline providers, including paramedics, labour and delivery units, family doctors, adoption agencies, and dedicated human trafficking services, have observed forced surrogacy as an emerging trend. Forced surrogacy happens when traffickers coerce victims to carry and give birth to a child, often through deception, threats, or abuse. The child is then trafficked for adoption or other purposes. Hospitals often have no record of the victim, as traffickers use false identification. It was stated that this issue often goes unnoticed as reproductive exploitation isn't listed under the federal definition of human trafficking. Victims disappear quickly after childbirth, often alongside traffickers posing as their support system. Reported targets include young girls, Indigenous women and girls in northern areas, and international students. Forced pregnancy has also been reported, where traffickers force female victims to conceive, using parental rights to exert control over both the child and the victim for years.

Finally, the growing involvement of organized crime groups (OCGs) in human trafficking was noted, with participants describing how these groups operate across multiple criminal markets and use trafficking as a low risk, high-profit activity. This perception is supported by a 2024 report showing a 24% increase in Canadian OCGs involved in human trafficking since 2020.Footnote 8 These groups are often violent and diversified, and involved in multiple criminal activities to maximize profits, such as illicit drugs, financial crime, contraband, crimes against persons, and crimes against property. This trend also intersects with broader systemic issues, with respondents noting that youth are often recruited into trafficking through gangs or family networks tied to organized crime.

Possible solutions

To address all and emerging forms of trafficking, participants emphasized the need for a targeted strategy that prioritizes sex and labour trafficking, while building capacity to detect and respond to all forms, increasing lesser-known forms. The following recommendations reflect key suggestions heard across discussions but are not intended to represent a complete list. A consistent recommendation was the need to improve collective understanding of human trafficking, particularly how it differs from other forms of exploitation, such as exploitative labour practices or consensual sex work. Public awareness campaigns should be survivor-led and reflect diverse victim experiences, including labour and familial trafficking, and use clear, consistent language across Canada.

Participants called for targeted efforts to strengthen the response to labour trafficking. This includes increasing detection and investigative capacity across provinces and territories, supporting ethical recruitment practices, and enhancing oversight in high-risk sectors like agriculture, construction, and domestic work. Improved training for frontline workers, such as police, healthcare providers, and social service professionals, was widely recommended, alongside trauma-informed and survivor-led education on trafficking trends, including online grooming and forced criminality.

Stronger protection for migrant workers was consistently identified as a priority. Participants highlighted the need for greater promotion of migrants rights, improving access to supports regardless of immigration status, and enforcing greater accountability for exploitative employers and recruiters.

Support populations experiencing increased risk

What we heard

Participants noted that while anyone can be trafficked or become a trafficker, certain groups face heightened risks not due to inherent vulnerability, but because of systemic oppression, discrimination, social and economic inequalities, and individual experiences. Respondents emphasized the importance of targeting the conditions that allow human trafficking to occur in the first place, including poverty, lack of education and employment opportunities, racism, sexism, gender-based violence, and the ongoing impacts of colonization. Addressing these root causes is essential, not only to protect people from exploitation, but also to prevent individuals from becoming traffickers. A key takeaway from these engagements is that effective prevention moving forward must focus on addressing these roots causes.

Systemic oppression and discrimination, such as racism, sexism, ableism, xenophobia, and the ongoing impacts of colonialism, was consistently identified as primary drivers of human trafficking. Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals were frequently identified as being at heightened risk, with participants emphasizing how intergenerational trauma, systemic racism, poverty, and economic marginalization create conditions that increase susceptibility to trafficking. Several Indigenous partners raised concerns about increasing production Industries like resource extraction, which increases the transient male workforces near Northern/remote communities, facilitating conditions for trafficking and exploitation.

Some respondents also highlighted the overrepresentation of Indigenous youth in the child welfare system, stressing that frequent displacement, lack of stable support networks, and inadequate culturally appropriate services contribute to increased risk of exploitation. This was particularly concerning for youth transitioning out of care, a period identified as a critical point where traffickers often target individuals in need of stability and resources.

Despite decades of evidence showing that children and youth, particularly those in the child welfare system, are at heightened risk of trafficking, there remains a lack of coordinated responses across jurisdictions. It was noted that Indigenous children and youth - who are overrepresented in the child welfare system - were identified as facing higher risks of being targeted, particularly in foster care and group homes and during transitions out of care. Many survivors of sex trafficking first experienced exploitation as minors and continued to be trafficked into adulthood, underscoring the need for early and sustained interventions.

Social and economic inequalities play a central role. Poverty, unstable housing, lack of access to secure employment, and inadequate social supports were consistently identified as key drivers of increased risk. Respondents emphasized that people in economically precarious situations are more likely to be coerced or manipulated into exploitative situations, particularly those who lack stable income, face barriers to employment, or have limited access to financial or social assistance. Those experiencing housing instability, food insecurity, or financial dependence may find themselves targeted by traffickers who offer deceptive opportunities that seem to provide stability. Economic instability can also act as a barrier to exiting exploitative situations, as financial dependency often prevents individuals from escaping trafficking environments.

Personal identity and lived experiences can also make people more susceptible to trafficking, often intersecting with systemic and economic barriers. For example, lived experiences of childhood trauma, which can also be resulting to systemic oppression and social and economic equalities, increases possibilities of revictimization in other life stages. Respondents highlighted that 2SLGBTQI+ individuals may be more likely to face discrimination, and housing instability, making them more susceptible to traffickers who exploit their need for security. Persons with disabilities may experience higher risks due to isolation, social exclusion and discrimination, low income and poverty, housing precarity, inadequate access support services. Additionally, youth are increasingly targeted through online platforms where traffickers utilize digital grooming, sextortion, and social media manipulation.

A few participants highlighted the need to better understand how individuals become traffickers to intervene early and support youth at risk of being drawn into exploitation. It was said that perpetrators enter trafficking through various pathways, sometimes influenced by coercion, organized crime, or due to their own experiences of exploitation and marginalization, often exploiting individuals within their own communities, perpetuating cycles of violence.

Human trafficking is a complex crime driven by poverty, gender discrimination, racism, wage inequality, inadequate educational and employment opportunities, and demand for low-cost goods and services. Those experiencing the greatest risks typically include women, girls, Indigenous peoples, migrants and newcomers, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, persons with disabilities, and youth experiencing social and economic marginalization, but it important not to limit to these groups and understand the factors that place these groups at increased risk.

In terms of labour trafficking, participants raised concerns that migrant workers, international students, and temporary foreign workers (TFWs) face heightened risks due to precarious immigration status, exploitative recruitment practices, and lack of protections in the workplace. Labour trafficking often occurs in industries such as agriculture, construction, domestic work and hospitality, where enforcement is weak, and workers may fear reporting due to risks of deportation. These concerns highlight the need for stronger protections and accessible reporting mechanisms for individuals facing exploitation, so they can safely seek help without fear of losing their job, legal status, or being deported.

Respondents also raised the long-standing debate on the relationship between sex work and human trafficking. While perspectives varied, some emphasized the need to distinguish between consensual sex work and trafficking, while others were of the view that all sex work is inherently harmful and should be more strictly regulated or prohibited. Some participants expressed concerns that criminalizing sex work pushes individuals into more dangerous conditions, particularly racialized, migrant, and 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, who already face barriers to housing, employment, and social supports. They advocated for a harm reduction approach, ensuring sex workers can access safety supports without fear of arrest or surveillance. Others viewed sex work as inseparable from trafficking, stressing the need for stronger laws, enforcement, and exit programs to reduce exploitation. They supported criminalizing buyers and procurers while providing supports for those wishing to leave sex work. While perspectives varied, respondents generally agreed that more needs to be done to prevent trafficking, ensure appropriate protections for individuals facing elevated risk of being trafficked and better supports for those who have been exploited.

Possible solutions

Key recommendations included calls for a more coordinated national approach and increased investment in trauma-informed, culturally responsive services. As one survivor shared, "This lack of coordination creates massive gaps in survivor support, law enforcement, and prevention efforts and traffickers know this and exploit these weaknesses" (A.M.). Survivors called on Public Safety Canada to support the development of provincial and territorial strategies that align with a renewed national framework and to mandate interjurisdictional collaboration and information sharing.

Participants emphasized the need for stable, long-term funding to support community-based and Indigenous-led anti-trafficking initiatives. These initiatives should offer consistent, trauma-informed programs and services, including wraparound supports such as safe, long-term housing, trauma-informed mental health care, addictions treatment, employment pathways, and culturally grounded healing building on survivor-led models already in place across the country.

Respondents also stressed the importance of early intervention and awareness, including targeted prevention programs in schools and communities, particularly for youth in foster care, Indigenous communities, and migrant populations. These efforts were seen as important to addressing the systemic inequalities that increase the vulnerability to trafficking, including poverty, racism, gender-based violence, and colonial legacies. Expanding public awareness efforts on recruitment tactics and available supports, alongside legislative amendments to empower child welfare agencies to investigate suspected exploitation, were seen as essential to prevent trafficking and protect those at highest risk.

Employ international best practices and technological advancements

What we heard

Participants emphasized the importance of continuously integrating international best practices and leveraging technological advancements to enhance Canada's response to human trafficking. While Canada has made progress in developing national and provincial strategies, participants stressed the need to remain informed of emerging global approaches and innovative tools that can strengthen prevention, intervention, and enforcement efforts. The rapid evolution of trafficking methods, particularly the use of technology to facilitate exploitation, underscores the necessity of adopting dynamic and adaptable responses.

A key consideration raised during the engagement process was the potential for technology to be used both as a tool to combat trafficking and as a means by which traffickers operate. On one hand, advancements in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics have enabled law enforcement agencies and organizations to detect patterns of exploitation, track online recruitment tactics, and disrupt trafficking networks. Participants pointed to successful international examples where law enforcement agencies and technology companies have collaborated to develop automated tools that identify online advertisements linked to trafficking and locate victims more efficiently. On the other hand, traffickers continue to exploit digital platforms, social media, and encrypted communication channels to target and control victims, making it increasingly difficult to track and prevent exploitation. Several respondents specifically highlighted the use of escort services and social media platforms to recruit young women and girls and advertise sex work. Given this dual reality, respondents called for a more strategic and coordinated approach to technology use in anti-trafficking efforts.

Another key theme that emerged from discussions was the importance of learning from global models that have successfully integrated multi-sectoral and survivor-centered approaches. Some jurisdictions have established dedicated trafficking courts, specialized law enforcement units, and long-term survivor support programs that provide sustainable, trauma-informed services. Participants noted that while Canada has adopted elements of these approaches, gaps remain in ensuring accessible, consistent, and culturally relevant supports for survivors. Strengthening collaboration with international partners could provide valuable insights into effective interventions and policy responses, particularly in areas such as victim identification, prosecution strategies, and service delivery models.

Moreover, respondents emphasized the need for improved data collection and analysis to better understand the scope and nature of trafficking in Canada. Currently, gaps in national data, particularly regarding labour trafficking, forced criminality, and the experiences of marginalized communities, limit the ability to develop targeted interventions. Several participants pointed to international models where centralized data systems track trends in trafficking cases, allowing for more responsive and evidence-based policy development. They recommended that Canada explore options to enhance data sharing across jurisdictions, strengthen partnerships with research institutions, and integrate more comprehensive metrics that capture the full complexity of trafficking in the country.

Finally, while participants acknowledged that Canada has taken steps to align its anti-trafficking initiatives with international frameworks, they stressed that more work is needed to ensure a truly comprehensive and adaptable strategy. This includes ongoing engagement with international organizations, adapting best practices to the Canadian context, and proactively addressing emerging threats through policy and legislative updates. By integrating global lessons and technological advancements into its national strategy, Canada can strengthen its ability to prevent trafficking, support survivors, and hold perpetrators accountable.

Possible solutions

Participants stressed the need for Canada to strengthen its use of technology to prevent and respond to human trafficking. They recommended clearer rules and regulations to hold technology companies accountable for how their platforms are used to recruit, exploit, and control victims. This includes creating targeted regulations, setting clear standards, and working in partnership with the tech sector. Participants also supported investing in artificial intelligence tools that can help identify trafficking trends online, and in digital platforms created by and for survivors. These tools should prioritize privacy, consent, and secure access to trauma-informed services. Establishing a federal cybercrime unit and a secure national database was also proposed to help track online activity and improve national coordination.

Participants emphasized the need to improve data collection and research on human trafficking. A centralized, standardized data system would help identify patterns and support better policy and service decisions. Several participants recommended that data collection frameworks be developed in collaboration with Indigenous organizations, ensuring culturally appropriate and accurate representation of Indigenous Peoples' experiences. They also called for more consistent data-sharing practices across provinces and territories, as well as secure systems that allow service providers to coordinate care without requiring survivors to retell their experiences.

Expanding international collaboration was also identified as a key priority. Participants recommended strengthening cross-border partnerships, especially to address labour trafficking, and learning from global models that offer long-term, survivor-centered supports such as specialized courts and integrated services. Ensuring that Canada's national strategy remains flexible and responsive to international best practices and emerging trends will support more effective prevention efforts, improved survivor support, and stronger accountability for traffickers.

Survivor and lived experience engagement

Survivors and persons with lived experience of human trafficking were central to this engagement process. Their reflections, priorities and insights helped to shape this report and reaffirmed many of the key themes emerging across the broader consultations. While their input is reflected throughout the report, this section has been included to highlight a few specific areas of focus that emerged from the survivor and lived-experience-specific sessions.

In particular, participants stressed the need for meaningful and sustained engagement in advising and guiding the National Strategy's policy, funding, and implementation efforts. Participants called for the establishment of a permanent Survivor/Lived Experience Council with real influence, diverse representation, and fair compensation. They emphasized that participation must go beyond symbolic consultation and be supported by appropriate structures, supports and accountability mechanisms. There was a strong recognition that the same small group of survivors is often called upon repeatedly, and that there is a need to build leadership capacity and create space for new voices, particularly from racialized, Indigenous, 2SLGBTQI+, and male survivors.

Survivors and persons with lived experience also raised important considerations around legal reform to prevent the criminalization of survivors for acts committed under coercion, peer-led programming, and the creation of trauma-informed and culturally grounded supports. They spoke to the reality of continued barriers - such as criminal records from coerced activity, lack of access to secure housing, and exclusion from decision-making spaces - that continue to shape their lives and the services meant to support them.

It also reinforces the idea that centering survivor and lived experience voices is not an add-on to policy development - it is an essential component of creating systems that are just, responsive, and grounded in lived reality.

The Government of Canada extends its appreciation to all individuals and organizations who participated in these engagements for sharing their time and expertise to help shape the renewal of Canada's National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

Human Trafficking Public Awareness Study (2023)

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Footnote 2

Ibid.

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Footnote 3

The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Survey captures information about incidents that have been detected and reported to police. Through the UCR Survey, Statistics Canada collects detailed information about human trafficking, including offences prohibited under the Criminal Code and related cross-border offences under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Return to footnote 3

Footnote 4

The Integrated Criminal Court Survey captures information about human trafficking offences in criminal courts, including court outcomes.

Return to footnote 4

Footnote 5

Multisector Community Response to Child Sex Trafficking. Toronto Region Protocol and Resource Toolkit (2023) (PDF).

Return to footnote 5

Footnote 6

Trafficking in persons in Canada, 2023

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Footnote 7

Online child sexual exploitation: A statistical profile of police-reported incidents in Canada, 2014 to 2022

Return to footnote 7

Footnote 8

2024 Public Report on Organized Crime in Canada (Criminal Intelligence Service Canada)

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