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BC's Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons
On Friday March 15th, Minister of Justice and Attorney General Shirley Bond announced BC’s Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons 2013-2016. The BC Action Plan sets out key priority focus and action areas for responding to issues of human trafficking across the province over the next three years.
Three consultations were held in 2012 in Prince George, Vancouver, and Victoria to inform the BC Action Plan. Links to the summaries from these consultations can be found here:
The Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons (OCTIP) opened under the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General in July 2007 with a mandate to develop and coordinate B.C.’s response to human trafficking. As the first office of its kind in Canada, OCTIP has joined forces with key provincial ministries, federal departments, municipal governments, law enforcement agencies, community based and aboriginal organizations, in the development and delivery of an integrated and permanent response to human trafficking in B.C.
OCTIP is part of the Ministry of Community Safety and Crime Prevention Branch.
Mandate of OCTIP
To develop and coordinate British Columbia's response to domestic and international human trafficking by:
- Coordinating services for trafficked persons in British Columbia.
- Identifying gaps and barriers that a trafficked person may encounter when accessing protection and services in British Columbia.
- Contributing to local, national and international efforts, including prosecutions, to prevent human trafficking.
British Columbia is leading the way nationally in responding to human trafficking. B.C.'s Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons will advise and assist other jurisdictions and organizations to develop location specific responses to international and domestic human trafficking.
Activities of OCTIP
- Implement awareness strategies to increase public knowledge of human trafficking.
- Develop training for service providers on assisting trafficked persons.
- Partner with community organizations, service providers, and law enforcement to coordinate services for trafficked persons.
- Assist communities across British Columbia to develop service networks and community responses to international and domestic human trafficking.
- Develop prevention-based education for youth about domestic human trafficking.
- Collaborate across provinces and federal agencies (including with the RCMP, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Canada Border Services Agency and Public Safety Canada) to share knowledge and contribute to national anti-trafficking efforts.
- Negotiate Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) outlining roles and responsibilities of key community and government partners.
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