Human Trafficking

Overview:

Human trafficking (HT), also referred to as trafficking in persons (TIP), involves recruiting, transporting, transferring, receiving, holding, concealing, harbouring, or exercising control, direction, or influence over that person, for the purpose of exploitation, generally for sexual exploitation or forced labour.

Due to its clandestine nature, the reluctance of victims and witnesses to come forward to law enforcement, and the challenges in identifying victims, it is difficult to assess the extent of HT in Canada. However, we know that, in Canada:

Young women and girls are at significantly higher risk of being trafficked (97% of victims are female).

Indigenous women and girls are over-represented as victims of sexual exploitation and trafficking.

Most (73%) victims of human trafficking were under 25 years of age, 28% of victims were less than 18 years old, and 45% were between 18 and 24 years.

Traffickers primarily recruit victims who are Canadian citizens with only a small portion of victims identified being in Canada as visitors, permanent residents, landed immigrants, workers on visa or illegal immigrants when they were recruited by traffickers.

Youth who are: homeless (many of whom identify as LGBTQ2+); in the child welfare system; and/or who have run away are at greater risk of sexual exploitation (including HT).

National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (2019-24)

Provides a whole-of-government approach to combat human trafficking, delivering activities across internationally recognized pillars of Partnerships, Prevention, Protection, Prosecution, and a new Empowerment pillar.

Is supported, through Budget 2019, $57.22 million over five years, beginning in 2019-20, and $10.28 million ongoing; and through previous investments of $14.5 million over five years and $2.89 million ongoing to put in place the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline as well as the Department of Justice’s Victims Fund ($1 million/annually) for anti-human trafficking projects.

Is led by Public Safety Canada: Coordination, Engagement, Governance (ADM Roundtable, DG Steering Committee, Human Trafficking Taskforce), Policy development, Program delivery, Partnerships (e.g. Special Advisor to Combat HT, FPT Working Group on TIP)

National Strategy Partners and Initiatives 

Public Safety Canada ($22.6 M over 5 years)

• National awareness campaign
• Survivor advisory committee
• HT website
• Data collection & Research
• Guidelines for front-line community workers
• Multi-sectoral training tools
• Conference on HT and criminal justice system
• Annual stakeholder engagement
• Chief Advisor to Combat HT
• Contribution Program to Combat Serious and Organized Crime ($8.4M over 4 years, part of the $22.6M) to support 20 organizations to deliver:
  • Empowerment programs
  • Youth at risk pilot projects
  • Youth hackathons
• Women and Gender Equality ($10 M): Promising practices and Continuum of care interventions
• Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada ($2.49 M): Enhance Project PROTECT
• Public Services and Procurement Canada ($5.58 M): Improve ethical behaviours in federal supply chains
• Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada ($8.95 M): Capacity building for victims of TIP initiative
• Canada Border Services Agency ($7.78 M): GBV assessments and policy development, Expert group on HT 
• Justice Canada and Global Affairs Canada will enhance activities  (e.g. training and international engagement) using existing departmental resources

Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking (CCEHT), ($12.5 M over five years from PS)

The CCEHT is a national NGO dedicated to ending all types of HT which launched the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline in May 2019.

International Engagement

United Nations

• Universal Declaration on Human Rights (1948)
• United Nations’ Convention on Transnational Organized Crime and its supplementing Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (2000)

Trilateral Working Group on TIP

• Canada, Mexico, and US forum to enhance coordination of trilateral efforts to help prevent and combat HT

Five Country Ministerial

• AUS, CAN, NZ, UK and US group focused on security and safety
• Modern Slavery/HT Taskforce established in 2018
• Principles to Guide Government Action to Combat HT in Global Supply Chains

Other

• ILO Forced Labour Convention (1930), Organization of American States, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Bali Process, G20, and G7

Expected Results

• Victims have access to trauma-informed & culturally-relevant support services  
• Policy and programs are informed by survivors
• Increase in awareness,  reporting, and prosecutions
• Vulnerable populations are better protected from the crime

Date modified:

2021-08-16