The Ontario Trucking Association and The Joy Smith Foundation have partnered to develop new tools aimed at combating forced labor and human trafficking in Ontario’s trucking industry.

The initiative will build on programs already underway in Manitoba and expand the foundation’s work into Ontario, Canada’s largest trucking market. The organizations said the effort will develop industry-specific tools and use data to help identify potential patterns of forced labor while increasing awareness among carriers, law enforcement and the public.

“It’s real, it’s destructive on so many levels, and it needs to end,” Mark Bylsma, OTA chairman, said in a news release. “The Joy Smith Foundation has done tremendous work to ensure Canadians know the signs of forced labor and understand how to take action. OTA stands in solidarity with their efforts to eliminate forced labor in the Ontario trucking industry and we look forward to supporting this project.”

The organizations said labor trafficking can involve coercion, exploitation, document confiscation, debt bondage and threats against vulnerable workers, and often remains hidden from public view. They said greater awareness can help employers, communities and frontline workers recognize warning signs and connect victims with appropriate support services, while complementing the ongoing work of law enforcement agencies.

“With this financial support from OTA, The Joy Smith Foundation will expand its already successful work in Manitoba into Ontario by collaborating with stakeholders to develop a coordinated approach and tools that strengthen awareness of forced labor risks within the trucking industry,” said Janet Campbell, president and CEO of The Joy Smith Foundation.

The organizations said knowledge and education are among the strongest tools for preventing human trafficking and protecting vulnerable workers from exploitation.

“We need as much attention as possible brought to this issue with as many resources that can be developed and disseminated,” said Geoff Wood, senior vice president of policy at the Ontario Trucking Association. “The magnitude of the situation is overwhelming, but with commitment and by tackling the issue from all angles, it can be systemically dealt with and eliminated.”