Over the past decade, Canada has seen a 396 percent increase in the number of reported human trafficking cases, according to data from Statistics Canada.
StatCan released its Trafficking in Persons in Canada, 2023 report on Nov. 1, noting that while the number of reported cases dropped since 2022, there has been an increase over the past decade.
Human trafficking is defined by the federal government as situations where individuals recruit, move, or hold victims against their will and exploit them for profit. It often includes those forced into prostitution or to work as labourers.
In 2023, police reported 570 human trafficking incidents. That was down from 597 in 2022, StatCan said. A drop in the rate of trafficking was also seen in that same time period from 1.5 incidents per 100,000 people in 2022 to 1.4 incidents per 100,000 people in 2023….