L-R: Paul Brandt, co-chair, Alberta Centre; Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services; Alisha McManus, survivor. (Supplied)

By rdnewsNOW staff

Centre to End Trafficking in Persons opens in Calgary

Feb 21, 2025 | 5:25 PM

The new Alberta Centre to End Trafficking in Persons (the Alberta Centre) opened in Calgary on Friday.

The centre is the cornerstone recommendation of ‘The Reading Stone,’ a report released by the Alberta Human Trafficking Task Force.

This is a community-led initiative in partnership with the Government of Alberta, with a focus on sex, labour and organ trafficking.

Co-chair, and founder of the #NotInMyCity movement, Paul Brandt, as well as Indigenous co-chair Angela Adsit, are leading the way.

“This launch marks a turning point in Alberta’s fight against human trafficking,” said Brandt. “With the Alberta Centre leading the way, we now have a dedicated community-led organization working in partnership with the Government of Alberta and focused on disrupting trafficking networks and empowering survivors. This centre brings hope for vulnerable individuals and a safer future for all Albertans.”

An estimated 93 per cent of reported trafficking cases in Canada involve domestic victims, and populations affected disproportionately include youth, newcomers, women, and Indigenous people.

“As a survivor of human trafficking and sexual exploitation, I can say that the work of this centre has been nothing short of transformative,” says survivor Alisha McManus.

“They not only listen to survivors, but they deeply value and encourage our voices and the input of those with lived experience. By streamlining services across Alberta, they are setting a groundbreaking example for all of Canada, showing what’s possible when we work together with understanding and respect. More than just providing services, they make us feel seen, heard, and valued beyond the stories of trauma we’ve lived through. They remind us that we are more than what has happened to us—we are capable, strong, and deserving of the full opportunity to rebuild and thrive.”

The Reading Stone report can be read here.

Established in 2007, Feb. 22 is Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Canada.