Human trafficking is a concern right across Ontario and it certainly impacts northern Ontario and here in North Bay.
The North Bay Police Service is one of many services in Ontario that is trying to shut human trafficking down.
"We have had local cases where we have people who have been victimized and are brought in to that human trafficking criminal element and part of that is working internally providing the training and expertise of what are the signs we are looking for and how do we engage and help and support victims both on an enforcement aspect to be able to catch those criminals that are coming and taking advantage of our people here in North Bay," said Mike Daze, North Bay's Deputy Chief.
To help combat that problem Daze says the Service tries to connect with community partners to help educate and inform not only the public but the officers that are investigating the cases too.
"We have started an internal training process of providing that information to our officers and we are now working with other community partners to develop a little more robust program to engage with those stakeholders out in the community so we have a broader swath of knowledge out there that really looks after some of that prevention and communication with police so we can try to really work with our partners and those that may see people that are being victimized by human trafficking," said Daze.
Back in 2017, Victims Services teamed up with the North Bay Police Service as they created a media campaign with pamphlets and posters which were distributed to cab companies and area hotels where many of the incidents take place.
Meantime in April of 2022, the North Bay Police Service announced its collaboration with Victim Services of Nipissing District to enhance support for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence. That's thanks to a new $5.9 million provincial effort over two years through the Victim Support Grant (VSG) program.
Daze does not know if the problem is getting worse in the north but he says it is being recognized.
"This is an issue that has really come to the forefront and we are able to work with the victims and have a better understanding through working with people with lived experience of how is it happening and we do realize that we do have people coming into our community who take advantage of people so I think as we gain more knowledge and we start to address that concern that we see increase cases," said Daze.
"Are there actually increased cases or is it an enforcement awareness, that is to be determined but everything we are going to do is we are going to be as pro-active as we can to try to help victims in human trafficking."
Daze says the Service's relationship with hotels in the area is a key part of identifying human trafficking in the city.
"Their staff is aware and we have a good working relationship to do as much prevention and notification as we can," he said.
"Signs are watching out for the age of some of the potential victims being brought in so I think when those staff members have concerns and a good positive working relationship with the police to be able to work together to identify any trends, issues that we are seeing. That is a good thing for our community."
