Alberta Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services Mike Ellis speaks at a press conference
The Alberta government is awarding over $5.5 million in funding to 19 organizations to work towards ending human trafficking and empowering survivors.
Funded projects aim to prevent human trafficking by increasing public awareness of its signs and risk factors.
Protection efforts will provide emergency support and help victims navigate legal and health care systems, while empowerment initiatives will assist survivors through peer support networks, skill-building programs and advocacy efforts.
The Alberta Native Friendship Centres was one of the organizations to receive funding.
Jeannette MacInnis is the director of partnerships with the organization and detailed how the funding will be used.
The Combatting Trafficking in Persons grant was first introduced in December. The 19 organizations receiving provincial funding include:
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- Alberta Native Friendship Centres
- ALERT
- Buckspring Foundation
- Catholic Social Services
- CEASE
- Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre
- Chiniki First Nation
- Goodstoney First Nation
- HER Victory
- Hull Services
- Kainai Transition Centre Society
- Métis Nation of Alberta
- Narrow Road Society
- REACH
- RESET Society
- Salvation Army
- The Alberta Centre for Human Trafficking
- Tsuut’ina Nation
- Waypoints
Priority consideration was given to initiatives that meaningfully include persons with lived experience of human trafficking, as well as Indigenous-led programs. Recipients of the Combatting Trafficking in Persons Grant must be located in Alberta. To be eligible to apply, applicants must be one of the following:
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- A registered not-for-profit/charitable organization in Alberta.
- A community-based coalition or network (with a designated fiscal agent).
- An Indigenous community, including Tribal Councils, First Nations and Metis Settlements.
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