IJFS Assists 61 Victims of Human Trafficking – 239 Charges Laid
The Provincial Human Trafficking Intelligence-led Joint Forces Strategy (IJFS) members from the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Toronto Police Service (TPS), Greater Sudbury Police Service (GSPS) and Treaty Three Police Service (T3PS) shared human trafficking statistics to show the cooperative work of the strategy and the complexity of human trafficking investigations.
Since the IJFS was created in December 2021, the 21 police services have:
- conducted 65 investigations;
- assisted 61 victims;
- laid 72 human trafficking charges;
- laid 167 additional charges; and,
- charged 28 people.
Human trafficking investigations are complex and often require a cross-jurisdictional approach as they may cross into other areas of Ontario. The median length of time to complete a human trafficking case is 382 days (according to Statistics Canada, 2021).
QUOTES
“Due to the transient nature of human trafficking, one police service cannot battle human trafficking alone – we rely on our law enforcement and community partners and on the public for support. Together with the members of the IJFS, we will continue to fight for those who cannot, for those who live in fear, for those who do not feel like their life is their own.”
- Detective Inspector Jordan Whitesell, OPP IJFS Lead
“Ontario has a higher average annual rate of police-reported human trafficking cases due to the many urban areas across our province, including the GTA – compared to the national average. Increased access to major transportation and transit hubs makes mobility very convenient, along with the easy access to larger hotels and other accommodation facilities. By working together as policing partners to address human trafficking across Ontario, we are making a difference.”
- Inspector Susan Gomes, TPS
- Staff Sergeant Guy Renaud, GSPS
- Inspector Tricia Rupert, T3PS
ABOUT THE IJFS
On March 6, 2020, the Government of Ontario announced funding in order to establish the IJFS, consisting of full-time investigators and analysts who are assigned to participating police agencies across Ontario, including municipal and First Nations, along with additional resources to the OPP. The IJFS has increased the capacity for policing by assisting in identifying, investigating and disrupting multi-jurisdictional human trafficking organizations operating within Ontario.
The 21 participating police agencies include: Anishinabek, Akwesasne, Barrie, Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Kingston, London, Niagara, OPP, Ottawa, Peel, Peterborough, Six Nations, Greater Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Treaty Three, Waterloo, Windsor and York.