According to the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Niagara is one of the epicentres of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in all of Canada. Its location near the Canada-United States border plays a major role, as does easy accessibility to major highways. Photo Credit: NRPS.
A case of human trafficking made waves in Niagara Falls after 13 men were arrested for human trafficking. According to police, young people were the targets.
The suspects are all above the age of 18, ranging from 20 to 60, and come from the Niagara Region, Windsor and Buffalo. Those hailing from the Niagara Region come from Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Thorold, Welland and St. Catharines.
The arrests were all made between Jan. 31 and Feb. 3, although the public was only informed of the news last week.
The criminal charges include child luring, obtaining sexual services and inviting sexual exploitation of a young person.
The names of those charged have not been made public. The arrests were made by Niagara Region police after an online sting operation.
According to Niagara Police Chief Bill Fordy, local police received assistance from the Ontario Provincial Police’s anti-trafficking intelligence unit and border enforcement team, the Canadian Border Services Agency, the American Department of Homeland Security, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
“These arrests showcase the dedication of our members in ensuring some of the most vulnerable members of our community are protected, sending a strong message that the predatory behaviours associated with human trafficking will not be tolerated in Niagara,” said Fordy.
“We are committed to fighting human trafficking through intelligence-gathering and working cooperatively with law enforcement and community partners to support victims and enforcement efforts. Integrated resources, the sharing of information, a victim-centred approach and community partnerships are crucial to law enforcement’s effective response to this kind of crime.”
This is Fordy’s first month on the job as police chief.
According to the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), Niagara is one of the epicentres of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in all of Canada. Its location near the Canada-United States border plays a major role, as does easy accessibility to major highways.
The Niagara area also has a lot of lodging and motels, which makes the area more inviting for traffickers.
Recognizing specific regional challenges, the Ford government unveiled new funding to try to support victims of human trafficking in the Niagara area back in 2021.
At the time, the government announced $1.4 million worth of funding over five years to help fund community-based programs for survivors to access. The program is being delivered by Niagara Region’s YWCA chapter.
The funding came from the province’s larger $46 million fund, set up as a broader anti-human trafficking initiative.
Jay Goldberg is the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. He previously served as a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
