“At a time when governments across Canada are publicly acknowledging the seriousness of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, the loss of funding for frontline services is deeply concerning,” shared KSAC in a statement. “Without sustained investment through programs such as those funded by Public Safety Canada, communities are left with fewer tools to respond to exploitation and fewer supports for survivors trying to rebuild their lives.”
In 2025, the program provided specialized support to over 75 individuals experiencing sex trafficking and sexual exploitation across the region, including those currently entrenched, those who have recently exited and those navigating longer-term recovery. Through trauma-informed advocacy, safety planning, system navigation and collaboration with community partners, the KSAC team has supported survivors through complex and often life-threatening circumstances.
“For the past five years, this program has provided essential support to individuals in our community working to escape situations of sex trafficking, heal from trauma and begin rebuilding their lives,” said Jordanne McLaren, Manager of Client Services and the Human Trafficking Response Team at KSAC. “The reality is that the need for these services has not disappeared. When funding for anti-trafficking programs is withdrawn, exploitation does not stop; it simply leaves survivors with fewer supports and fewer pathways to safety.”
“Ending funding for sex trafficking services does not mean sex trafficking ends, it means survivors are left with fewer places to turn,” the statement continues. “Programs like this are often the only lifeline for individuals trying to escape sex trafficking. When funding disappears, the exploitation does not disappear with it, only the support for survivors does. This decision will have real and immediate consequences for vulnerable people in our community. Survivors of sex trafficking require specialized, trauma-informed support and programs like this exist because the need is real and ongoing.”
KSAC’s statement urges Public Safety Canada to reconsider the decision and to “recognize the critical role specialized sex trafficking services play in protecting survivors and strengthening community safety.” KSAC is calling on all federal leaders to demonstrate their commitment to addressing sexual violence and human trafficking by ensuring continued funding for frontline, survivor-focused services.
KSAC hopes this decision prompts questions about how communities are expected to respond to sex trafficking when specialized survivor services are forced to close due to funding decisions.
“KSAC remains incredibly proud of the work accomplished by our team over the past five years and of the courage shown by the survivors we have had the privilege to support,” says the statement. “While KSAC will continue to provide our core sexual violence services, the closure of this program represents a significant loss for our region. We will continue to advocate for sustained investments in sexual violence and sex trafficking services so that communities like ours are not left without the supports that vulnerable individuals rely on.”
