Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin and Susannah Pierce, Shell Canada president and country chair, unveiled the founding partners of the Human Trafficking Prevention Network of British Columbia.
The inaugural event took place at Covenant House Vancouver and coincides with National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
The signing ceremony included 20 corporate and community founding partners, bringing together a network from diverse industries and services. Speakers at the event included Deb Lester, CEO, Covenant House Vancouver; Alexandra Ford, anti-trafficking advocate; and Tamara Vrooman, CEO, Vancouver International Airport.
“Human trafficking is a serious and important issue that has been flying under the radar for far too long,” said Pierce, chair of the Human Trafficking Prevention Network. “Today, I would like to thank our corporate and community partners, who are coming together and agreeing to work collaboratively to raise awareness, share resources and co-ordinate action, so we can create safer and more resilient communities free from the harms of human trafficking.”
The founding partners will unite in their commitment to combat human trafficking, signing a statement of support and pledging to work collaboratively to share resources that spread awareness, and support organizations that are combating human trafficking or aiding survivors in their recovery and transition.
“Today, we are unified in our commitment to end human trafficking. Anchored by the actions outlined in the statement of support, we are resolved to raise awareness, disseminate crucial resources and offer unwavering support to survivors in their recovery,” said Austin, honorary patron of the Human Trafficking Prevention Network. “Through this collaborative endeavour, we are pledging to amplify our efforts and foster a more resilient and collaborative response to this pressing issue.”
The founding partners of the Human Trafficking Prevention Network are:
- Chair – Shell Canada Limited
- Honorary patron – Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
- All Nations United
- BC Lions
- BC Native Women’s Association
- Business Council of British Columbia
- Covenant House Vancouver
- Greater Vancouver Board of Trade
- KPMG
- Ocean Spray Cranberries Inc
- Richberry Group of Companies
- Royal Bank of Canada
- Telus Health
- The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking
- The Port of Vancouver
- TransLink
- Truckers Against Trafficking
- Vancouver Police
- YVR Airport
- YWCA of Metro Vancouver
Several resources were featured at the launch event, including the Covenant House Toolkit, the National Centre to End Human Trafficking T.A.L.K campaign and the #NotInMyCity airport initiative.
“Covenant House Vancouver is committed to working in partnership with the community and in collaboration with survivors to end human trafficking,” said Lester, host of the launch event. “We know that supporting survivors requires us to be able to support all of their basic needs as they exit and heal. That is why building the capacity of the non-profit sector is crucial in order to address human trafficking in Canada in a meaningful and sustainable way. In addition, we must be willing to engage survivors in our work in a good way. Partnering to create a community where there is no wrong door to access support is key to combating trafficking. What we know for sure, the survivors are worth it.
Organizations that would like to join the initiative may inquire at [email protected] .
Learn more about the Human Trafficking Prevention Network here.