441-00709 (Justice)

The 2021 Annual Report on Trafficking in Persons, prepared by the US Government, recognizes that Canada, as a Tier 1 country, fully meets the standards set by the report to combat trafficking in persons and that Canada continues to demonstrate sustained and serious efforts. Combating trafficking in persons in Canadarequires concerted action by all levels of government and a broad range of stakeholders.

The Government of Canada continues to demonstrate national leadership and is committed to ensuring a whole-of-government approach and comprehensive way forward to address human trafficking. The Criminal Code provides a robust framework for human trafficking with six specific human trafficking offences, including trafficking in adults, child trafficking, materially benefitting from human trafficking and withholding or destroying identity documents to facilitate this crime, with maximum penalties of up to life imprisonment. Additionally, the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act includes a human trafficking-specific offence, which applies where victims are brought into Canada. This offence has a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Justice Canada provides training to law enforcement through the RCMP’s Human Trafficking Investigators Course, offered regularly through the Canadian Police College.

The federal government works closely with provinces and territories to support victims of crime, including victims of human trafficking. Specifically, the Justice Canada Victims Fund makes grants and contributions funding available to provincial and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other eligible recipients for the creation and enhancement of services for victims of crime and to enhance the skills and capacity of those who work with victims of crime so that these professionals and volunteers can better meet victims’ needs.

In support of the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking led by Public Safety Canada, Justice Canada makes $1 million per year available through the Victims Fund to NGOs to develop or enhance services for victims of human trafficking. In particular, Justice Canada is providing funding to nine projects in fiscal year 2022-2023 through the Victims Fund. These projects include the establishment or enhancement of services for victims of human trafficking, as well as the development and delivery of training for law enforcement officers and frontline service providers. A total of $1,164,157 in funding was committed in fiscal year 2022-2023 to support victims of human trafficking.

The Government of Canada takes the issue of human trafficking seriously and is committed to the protection of children, women, girls, and other vulnerable members of society from all forms of exploitation and abuse, including sexual exploitation and labour trafficking in Canada and abroad.

The protection of victims of human trafficking is a shared responsibility among all levels of government. Provinces and territories provide services such as health and social services, emergency housing, and legal aid to victims and survivors and in some cases have established their own local strategies and action plans to address human trafficking in their jurisdictions. Similarly, civil society and other non-governmental actors play a critical role in Canada’s response to this crime. The Government of Canada recognizes that human trafficking is a multifaceted issue which requires cooperation with the provinces and territories, the private sector and civil society actors.

In 2019, the Government of Canada launched the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking (National Strategy), which brings together federal efforts under one strategic framework, and is supported by an investment of $57.22 million over five years and $10.28 million ongoing. The National Strategy includes measures aligned with the internationally recognized pillars of prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships. Expanding on these pillars, the National Strategy includes empowerment as a fifth pillar to enhance supports and services to victims of human trafficking. As a whole-of-government approach, the National Strategy sets out a comprehensive way forward to address human trafficking and brings together all federal efforts that aim to address human trafficking under one strategic plan to ensure a collaborative and coordinated national response.

Under the National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, the Federal Government has developed an enhanced governance structure to enable a more coordinated response to human trafficking. The Human Trafficking Taskforce (HTT), comprised of all relevant federal departments, was established to ensure effective coordination, implementation and management of existing and enhanced efforts to address human trafficking in Canada and abroad. Further, the HTT serves to support the alignment of anti-human trafficking initiatives with other federal government priorities (i.e. Gender-Based Violence and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls). Public Safety Canada has also established robust mechanisms to bolster existing governance through the federal Human Trafficking Taskforce (HTT), these include an Assistant Deputy Ministers meeting, and a Director-General Steering Committee on Human Trafficking which provide oversight of the horizontal initiative.

Collaboration and information sharing with federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments through the Public Safety Canada-led FPT Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Working Group remains central to the Government’s efforts. The Government of Canada also hosts a Justice Canada led-FPT Coordinating Committee of Senior Officials on Human Trafficking. These meetings facilitate information sharing and collaboration, and the sharing of best practices and lessons learned to inform policy and program development.

Furthermore, under the National Strategy, the Government of Canada committed to hosting stakeholder engagements to ensure ongoing outreach and information sharing and to address emerging trends. The purpose of these engagements is to bring together experts, civils society organizations, service providers and other external stakeholders to enhance knowledge and information sharing; better understand stakeholder concerns and priority issues; and, inform forward looking policy and program development. These meetings also provide Public Safety Canada and federal partners with an opportunity to strengthen key relationships and establish new ones as well as identify opportunities for new partnerships.

The Government of Canada is committed to combating human trafficking and will continue to work diligently to better understand gaps in Canada’s collective response to this crime to build stronger and safer communities across Canada.