Officials say human trafficking is an underreported crime in N.L. — here’s what they’re doing about it
CBC
Hotels in Newfoundland and Labrador are being trained to recognize human trafficking — criminal activity that officials say despite a lack of cases, is in fact present in the province.
Hospitality N.L. CEO Craig Foley decided to join the Not In Our Hotel initiative after discussions with other regions in Canada.
“It is a tool that hotels and owners are looking for. It gives them a resource to be able to educate their employees with,” he told CBC News in an interview this month.
The free online training modules explain how “a human trafficker takes action then uses means of coercion or force for the purpose of providing forced sex or labour.”
The modules go through different scenarios and describe the nuances of trafficking — like how in some cases, victims may not leave their traffickers.
"They don't want to come forward... because of the relationships and because of the grooming and what they've been told could happen if they speak with police," said RNC media relations officer Const. Stephanie Myers, noting there could also be financial repercussions for reporting the crime.
Foley said trafficking victims are sometimes taken to hotels because they are public places. He hopes the education encourages employees and operators to report any suspicious activity.
Data from Statistics Canada indicates 23 human trafficking incidents were reported to police in N.L. from 2014-24. Over those 10 years, 17 of the reports fell under the Criminal Code, and six under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
The RNC confirmed one additional incident reported in 2025 is currently under investigation, but could not provide details.
However, the province’s RCMP only laid its first charge related to human trafficking in 2022, and it was withdrawn.
In 2024, accused sexual predator Tony Humby was charged with seven counts of trafficking persons under the age of 18, which is a separate offence from human trafficking under the Criminal Code.
The numbers are low because it’s an underreported crime, said RNC media relations officer Const. Stephanie Myers.
“We know that this is a misrepresentation of human trafficking within the communities that we police,” Myers said in an interview.
Ontario advocate Krista MacNeil told CBC News in 2023 her organization had seen an increase in victims from N.L. being trafficked to her region.
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