West Lincoln joins Region in endorsing human trafficking prevention efforts

At its August 11 meeting, West Lincoln Council unanimously endorsed the development of a Code of Conduct for the Prevention of Human Trafficking in Niagara, being orchestrated by TOES Niagara and Brock University.

Niagara Regional Council endorsed this work at its June 26 meeting, following which, Chair Jim Bradley encouraged all local area municipalities to join in support.

“Human trafficking is a grave violation of human rights and a serious criminal offence that demands a coordinated and unwavering response,” says Mayor Cheryl Ganann. “By endorsing this initiative to prevent human trafficking, we not only shine a light on the issue but also affirm our responsibility to protect the safety, dignity and freedom of all individuals in our community.”

The resolution stresses that human trafficking is a critical issue in Niagara due to the region’s proximity to the US border and the thriving tourism and hospitality sectors, which create environments where sexual labour exploitation can go unnoticed. Women, newcomers, racially marginalized people, people experiencing poverty, people living with disabilities and children in the child welfare system are disproportionately targeted and impacted by the harms perpetuated by traffickers.

Data from the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), comparing 2023 to 2024, indicates the number of human trafficking investigations increased by 61 per cent, the number of victims identified increased by 700 per cent, the number of accused charged increased by 190 per cent, the number of criminal charges laid increased by 75 per cent and the number of referrals from NRPS’ Human Trafficking Unit to Victim Services Niagara increased by 133 per cent.

Tools of Empowerment for Success (TOES) Niagara and Brock University have undertaken work funded by Women and Gender Equity Canada to develop a Code of Conduct to Prevent Human Trafficking in the Niagara Region. The team has created a Steering Committee of representatives from across tourism, business, education, law enforcement, government and non-profit sectors to engage in broad community collaboration through focus groups, surveys and feedback sessions.

West Lincoln Council committed to reviewing and assessing the applicable local government sectoral guidelines and responsibilities outlined in The Code upon its finalization, with the intent to implement measures that align with municipal priorities and capacity.

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