Niagara-on-the-Lake council has endorsed a motion supporting a regional code of conduct to combat human trafficking, which says that hospitality workers should be trained to recognize the signs of human trafficking, among other recommendations.
The motion, passed in September and formally approved during last Tuesday’s council meeting, was introduced by Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa.
It directs the town to collaborate with Brock University’s professional and continuing studies office and Tools of Empowerment for Success Niagara, a not-for-profit organization that supports immigrant and marginalized women.
“I was pleased with town council’s endorsement,” said Zalepa, “Human trafficking is a massive societal issue.”
With NOTL playing an important role in the tourism landscape in Ontario, he said, Niagara “must be seen as leaders” in combating the issue.
Earlier this year, those two organizations developed a code of conduct outlining how institutions across the Niagara region can respond to and prevent human trafficking. Tools of Empowerment for Success Niagara published the final version of the code on its website.
While the document focuses primarily on the hospitality and tourism sectors, it also offers broader guidelines for community-wide engagement.
Specifically, for those in hospitality and tourism, the code recommends that hospitality workers undergo mandatory training to recognize and respond to signs of human trafficking.
It also recommends displaying materials publicly, like in lobbies and restrooms, asking people to report suspicious activity to the authorities and the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline and using technology to recognize signs of human trafficking, such as with suspicious reservations.
Overall, the code addresses issues such as mandatory training, reporting procedures and support for survivors. Its guiding principles include “do no harm,” universal human rights, collective responsibility, confidentiality and safety, inclusion and non-discrimination.
Tourism Niagara-on-the-Lake told The Lake Report it’s on board with council’s motion.
“We applaud the town’s endorsement of the work by (Tools of Empowerment for Success) Niagara and Brock University,” said tourism director Brianne Hawley.
She said Tourism NOTL is “committed to reviewing and aligning with the code upon its finalization, with the goal of implementing measures that support regional priorities, protect our community and promote safe tourism practices.”
Sixty per cent of human trafficking in Canada occurs along the Toronto–Niagara corridor, the motion states.
It also cites a sharp rise in human trafficking incidents between 2023 and 2024. According to Niagara Regional Police data referenced in the motion, the number of reported victims rose by 700 per cent during that period.
The number of accused individuals charged increased by 190 per cent, criminal charges went up by 75 per cent, and referrals from the police human trafficking unit to Victim Services Niagara climbed by 133 per cent. Overall incidents rose by 60 per cent.
Locally, recent high-profile cases have included a Niagara-on-the-Lake man charged in a February 2024 investigation involving 13 people. A month later, the human trafficking unit also searched a Read Road property.
