Province Investing $345 Million to Protect Ontario from Human Trafficking
July 31, 2025
Government’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy has supported tens of thousands of survivors as province expands specialized intervention teams to Kenora
KENORA — The Ontario government is protecting young people and vulnerable communities by investing $345 million to renew its Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy (AHTS) – the largest investment of its kind in the country. Since its launch in 2020, the strategy has trained more than 1,000 front-line workers and helped tens of thousands of survivors, as well as children who were being or at risk of being trafficked, leading to hundreds of charges and arrests. As part of the strategy, the province is also officially launching a new Children at Risk of Exploitation (CARE) Unit in Kenora to help protect children and youth in the region from sex trafficking and support survivors.
“As we mark World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, it is more important than ever to expand our work with community partners to protect children and youth, support survivors and hold offenders accountable,” said Michael Parsa, Minister of Children, Community and Social Services. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, our government is proud to renew Ontario’s Historic Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy. The launch of the Kenora CARE Unit is part of our plan to ensure vulnerable people can get support in every corner of our province.”
Ontario’s AHTS – renewed in the Spring 2025 – is centred on four pillars: awareness and prevention, protecting victims, supporting survivors and holding offenders accountable. As part of the AHTS, Ontario established its first two CARE Units in Toronto and Durham Region. These specialized intervention teams of child protection workers, police officers and Indigenous liaisons work collaboratively to identify and locate children and youth who are being sex trafficked or are at risk, connect them to services, and support investigations to hold offenders accountable, serving more than 200 children ages 12 to 17 every year.
“Today’s launch of the new Kenora CARE Unit is a direct response to what communities across Northwestern Ontario have been calling for: targeted, trauma-informed services for youth when and where they need them,” said Greg Rickford, MPP for Kenora—Rainy River and Minister of Indigenous Affairs and First Nations Economic Reconciliation. “Our government’s additional $6 million investment will strengthen the front-line services that are already making a difference and ensure young people at risk of exploitation have access to the safe spaces and stability they deserve.”
To support the Kenora CARE Unit, the Ontario government is providing $6 million over three years to increase trauma‐informed and specialized supports in the region for children and youth who have been sex trafficked. As part of this investment, there will be a new licensed out-of-home care residence for survivors and a new Youth-In-Transition Worker in the region, specialized in anti-human trafficking.
“The Kenora CARE Unit will help ensure that those tasked with protecting children and youth have the tools needed to act swiftly to prevent sex trafficking and connect survivors to the supports they deserve,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “This new unit, together with the renewal of the Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy, demonstrates our government’s ongoing work, empowering law enforcement to combat human trafficking in this province.”
Building on the success of the first two units, the Kenora CARE Unit will be led by Anishinaabe Abinoojii Family Services and Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child & Family Services, who will work with the Kenora Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the OPP’s Anti-Human Trafficking team assigned to the area. Ontario’s renewed Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy will continue to invest in actions across government to combat human trafficking and child exploitation and protect the province’s most vulnerable people.
Quick Facts
- In Ontario, the most common form of human trafficking is sex trafficking. The average age of recruitment into sex trafficking in Canada is 13 years old.
- In the first four years of Ontario’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy, service providers helped more than 29,000 people affected by human trafficking.
- Kenora was selected as the next CARE unit location due to its airport, highways, proximity to the provincial border and popularity as a summer vacation destination, which create increased risk of sex trafficking for children and youth living within and around Kenora, as well as those traveling through the area.
- The Kenora CARE unit will also receive support from Tikinagan Child and Family Services and Weechi-it-te-win Family Services.
Quotes
“We commend the Government of Ontario for its renewed commitment to fighting human trafficking and for recognizing the urgent need for early intervention and youth-focused support. We remain steadfast in our mission to working alongside the province and our partners across Ontario to protect and empower our most vulnerable youth.”
– Deborah Headley
Executive Director, Roberts/Smart Centre
“We are grateful for the ongoing partnership of the government of Ontario in delivering our survivor-led, trauma-informed outreach and day programs as part of the provincial Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy. Since 2018, these services have supported over 70 women and 24 children annually across the province. We commend Ontario for its leadership in anti-human trafficking and are excited about growing our services to include housing, emergency shelter, and rehabilitation for survivors.”
– Jasmine De Fina
Executive Director, SafeHope Home
“Since launching the LifeEdge program two years ago, we have provided wraparound support, case management, peer mentorship, and structured classroom programming to 47 youth, and provided education and awareness sessions to many more. Funding through the renewed 2025–2030 Anti-Human Trafficking Strategy will enable us to provide the kind of support that had a participant say, ‘You helped save my daughter’s life during a time when I felt I had lost her to a mother’s worst fears, trafficking.”
– Casandra Diamond
Founder, Bridgenorth
“We are grateful Kenora was chosen as the third location for this very important initiative. The investment from the Ontario government into the Children At Risk of Exploitation Unit is crucial in our community’s ability to respond to those most at risk.”
– Alicia Rogerson
Executive Director, Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services
“As a child welfare provider responsible for meeting the needs of vulnerable children and youth, we appreciate the commitment from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services and the opportunity to develop a Children At Risk of Exploitation Unit. In partnership, we are providing a service that will allow at-risk youth to feel safe, protected, and supported not only in the present, but as they advance on a path to wellness.”
– Sean Spencer
Interim Associate Director, Anishinaabe Abinoojii Family Services
“Weechi-it-te-win Family Services is pleased to partner with the new Kenora CARE Unit. We look forward to contributing more to combat this ever-growing issue of human trafficking and will actively help to build a strong safety network across Northwestern Ontario.”
– Dean Wilson
Executive Director, Weechi-it-te-win Family Services
“Protecting at-risk children from the serious dangers of human trafficking requires collaboration, which is why we celebrate this partnership with other agencies in the spirit of Mamow Obiki-ahwahsoowin – ‘Everyone working together to raise our children.’ At the same time, parents, extended family, Elders, and our community members also play an equal part in keeping our children safe by recognizing, discussing, and preventing exploitation. By working together in mutual co-operation and respect, we will honour our children by educating our First Nations about the dangers and providing accessible services and programs to support healing for survivors so they can rebuild and reclaim their lives.”
– Katherine Machimity
Director of Services, Tikinagan Child and Family Services
“William W. Creighton Youth Services is honoured to be a partner in the province’s coordinated effort to end human trafficking, working alongside the Kenora CARE Unit through a comprehensive wraparound model rooted in safety, connection, and community collaboration. This strategic initiative ensures that youth receive trauma-responsive care, access to education, life skills, mental health and cultural supports, anchored by a consistent, caring team around them.”
– Sheri Norlen
Executive Director, William W. Creighton Youth Services
“Taproot (formerly WJS Canada) is ready to provide direct support to children and youth identified by the Kenora Children at Risk of Exploitation Unit. We are excited to be part of this program and look forward to working with community partners and at-risk youth as we have been since 2006.”
– Karry Benard
Director, Taproot Community Support Services
“Ogimaawabiitong is grateful to be a part of an initiative that will support youth at risk and entrenched in human trafficking. Our role of providing wraparound services will help ensure youth are engaged where they are at, and in a culturally safe way.”
– Jennifer Dreaver
Executive Director, Ogimaawabiitong-Kenora Chiefs Advisory
“The creation of the CARE Unit in Kenora represents a critical and long-overdue step toward protecting children and youth who are at risk of sexual exploitation. The Kenora Sexual Assault Centre is proud to support this initiative by providing trauma-informed programming and wraparound services to those impacted. This partnership strengthens our collective ability to intervene early, support healing, and build safer communities for everyone.”
– Jaye Wesley
Executive Director, Kenora Sexual Assault Centre
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