[ Human Trafficking, Country-by-Country ]

CANADA (Tier 1) – Extracted in part from the U.S. State Dept 2022 TIP Report

The Government of Canada fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. The government continued to demonstrate serious and sustained efforts during the reporting period, considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its anti-trafficking capacity; therefore Canada remained on Tier 1. These efforts included identifying more possible victims of forced labor; enacting legal amendments that prohibit worker-paid recruitment fees and strengthen protections for temporary foreign workers in Canada; arresting a police officer for alleged trafficking crimes; and expanding prevention measures tailored for at-risk and underserved populations in Canada. Although the government meets the minimum standards, it did not provide comprehensive data on the services provided to victims with government funding nationwide. The government’s efforts to identify victims, provide protections to all victims – particularly forced labor victims – and investigate and prosecute forced labor crimes, remained inadequate. The range, quality, and timely delivery of trafficking-specific services varied nationwide, and service providers reported a shortage of victim services, including emergency shelters and longer-term housing.

Prioritized Recommendations

Vigorously investigate and prosecute trafficking crimes, including forced labor and child sex tourism, and seek adequate penalties for convicted traffickers, which should involve significant prison terms.

Increase trauma-informed specialized services and provide shelter to all victims, including male victims, foreign national victims, and members of marginalized communities throughout the country, in partnership with civil society.

Increase training for criminal justice officials emphasizing the importance of ordering restitution to survivors upon trafficking convictions.

Amend the criminal code and Immigration and Refugee Protection Act to include definitions of trafficking that are consistent with international law.

Enact a policy to ensure victims are not inappropriately penalized solely for unlawful acts committed as a direct result of being trafficked.

Establish a survivor-led advocacy council to assist in policy development, and ensure members are duly compensated for their work.

Increase information sharing, cooperation with, and resources for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Indigenous communities and NGOs to address the disproportionate impact of trafficking on those communities.

Improve nationwide trafficking data collection, including timely consolidation of data on investigations, prosecutions, and convictions disaggregated by type of exploitation, numbers of identified victims, and assistance provided.

Vigorously enforce laws and policies to address trafficking in the federal supply chain.