Hotel employees from BC to Ontario are receiving training on how to spot, and report, suspected human trafficking activities in hotels
Vancouver, B.C. (July 30, 2025): Today is the United Nations’ “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons,” a day that hotel associations across much of Canada are observing as they reinforce their commitment to ending human trafficking activities in hotels.
Hotel associations in B.C., the three prairie provinces, and Ontario recently launched “Not in Our Hotel”, a free training program available to all hotel employees in those provinces to equip them with the knowledge needed to spot signs of human trafficking and report it.
Human trafficking remains one of the fastest-growing crimes in Canada. Public Safety Canada describes it as recruiting, moving, or holding victims to exploit them for profit, usually for sexual reasons or forced labor. Traffickers can control and pressure victims by force or through threats, including mental and emotional abuse and manipulation.
The “Not in Our Hotel” training equips hotel employees with the tools to recognize and respond to trafficking situations and how to support victims and protect hotel properties. The program includes:
- Online modules for hotel staff, with certificates of completion
- Reference materials like posters and on-the-job guides
- Manager tools to support property-wide policy and awareness
The training also includes a video message in which Metro Vancouver Crime Stoppers Executive Director Linda Annis issues a plea for hotel employees to report tips about suspected human trafficking to Crime Stoppers if they wish to do so anonymously.
“Our Canadian hotels and their staff are known around the world for their incredible hospitality, but when it comes to human trafficking, we want criminals to know they’re not welcome,” said Annis. “The victims of human trafficking need our help, and anonymous tips to Crime Stoppers can make a real difference. Please speak up, because the victims cannot.”
Hotel owners and operators in all five provinces are encouraged to register their staff at NotInOurHotel.ca and be part of the movement to eradicate human trafficking from Canada’s hotels.
“By ensuring every hotel employee understands the signs of human trafficking and knows how to respond, we are taking a stand as an industry to say: not in our hotels,” said Tracy Douglas-Blowers, president & CEO of the Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association, which spearheaded the multi-province initiative.
