Alberta announces $20.8M to fight human trafficking

Alberta is committing $20.8 million over the next four years to fight human trafficking.

The funding will be used to implement the Alberta Human Trafficking Task Force’s five recomendations to stop the exploitation of victims at the hands of traffickers.

“Too often we think of human trafficking as something that happens in the developing world, places different from here,” said Premier Jason Kenney. “The reality is that this scourge of modern slavery happens right here in our own backyard.”

Specifically, the funding will be used to:

• Create an Office to Combat Trafficking Persons and a centre of excellence for research and data collection.
• Create a grant for coordinated community support and Indigenous-led, culturally appropriate services.
• Create civilian positions through the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams to support victims and survivors of human trafficking through the investigation process.
• Implement other task force recommendations.

“Today’s announcement from the Government of Alberta comes at a time when human trafficking is now one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada,” said taskforce chair Paul Brandt. “From the standpoint of prevention and for survivors, this $20.8 million and the acceptance of these Alberta taskforce recommendations come not a moment too soon.”

According to the government, police services in Canada reported 2,977 incidents of human trafficking between 2010 and 2020.