PROTECTION
The government maintained existing protections for trafficking victims, but funding for specialized services was inadequate. Police identified 261 victims in cases where trafficking-specific charges were laid in 2014. Of these, 223 were female; 37 were male; 48 were victims of labor trafficking; 213 were victims of sex trafficking; and 85 were children. In comparison, authorities did not report the number of victims identified in 2013, but as of February 2014, there were 198 victims in open trafficking investigations. Immigration officials continued to implement guidelines to assess whether foreign nationals were potential trafficking victims, and police and prosecutors screened potential trafficking cases using established indicators, although application of these guidelines was uneven.The government had no nationwide procedures for other officials to proactively identify and assist trafficking victims. Civil society reported provincial and territorial governments often lacked adequate resources and personnel to effectively monitor the labor conditions of temporary foreign workers or to proactively identify human trafficking victims among vulnerable groups.
The government did not report the number of trafficking victims assisted in 2014. Provincial and territorial governments were responsible for general crime victim services, which were available to trafficking victims, but only one province reported funding specific services for trafficking victims, and none funded dedicated shelters.The range, quality, and timely delivery of services varied, though most provinces could offer trafficking victims access to shelter services intended for victims of violence or the homeless population, short-term counseling, court assistance, and other services. NGOs and law enforcement noted the demand for most services—particularly longer-term services such as housing, drug addiction treatment, psycho-social care, and job skills—exceeded available resources, and NGOs reported inadequate funding and, in some cases, cutbacks in existing funding. Experts reported some shelters for victims of domestic violence would not accept trafficking victims out of fear of their traffickers. NGOs noted victims without proper documentation may not be able to access general services, including health care.The province of Manitoba provided funding for initiatives to identify and assist victims of sexual exploitation, including sex trafficking victims, with a focus on Aboriginal communities.The city of Toronto dedicated funds to renovate a house for an NGO to operate a shelter for female sex trafficking victims. In Montreal, the crime victim compensation fund did not assist individuals in prostitution—even identified trafficking victims. In the province of Ontario, children 16 years and older were not eligible for child protective care and were often diverted to co-ed youth shelters, leaving them vulnerable to recruitment.
NGOs gave differing assessments of the effectiveness of the informal victim referral mechanism, with some desiring a more codified process and others prioritizing flexibility. Foreign trafficking victims could apply for a temporary resident permit (TRP) to remain in Canada. The government issued five TRPs to an

undisclosed number of foreign victims in 2014; authorities did not report how many were first-term permits and how many were renewals. In comparison, authorities granted 14 TRPs to 14 foreign victims in 2013. Some foreign victims may have received different forms of immigration relief. During a 180-day reflection period, immigration officials determined whether to grant TRP holders a longer residency period of up to three years.TRP holders could apply for fee-exempt work permits, and it was unclear how many foreign victims received these permits in 2014. Some government officials and NGOs reported difficulties and delays in getting TRPs for foreign victims.While victims waited to receive TRPs, they could not access government services, and NGOs provided this care.There were no reports that identified victims were penalized for crimes committed as a direct result of being subjected to human trafficking. Some NGOs indicated lengthy labor trafficking investigations could expose foreign victims to immigration violations, and some child sex trafficking victims might be treated as juvenile offenders for petty criminal offenses.There were no reports victims filed for or obtained restitution in 2014.

PREVENTION
The Government of Canada maintained diverse trafficking prevention efforts. Public Safety Canada led a federal interagency taskforce and published regular anti-trafficking newsletters. The RCMP continued to conduct awareness-raising activities and published a report on internal sex trafficking. British Columbia had the only provincial anti-trafficking office in the country, which conducted training, prevention, and awareness activities. NGOs in other provinces reported the need for stronger coordination between provincial governments and civil society. Authorities provided information to temporary foreign workers to let them know where to seek assistance in cases of exploitation or abuse and announced an overhaul of the temporary foreign worker program committed to stronger enforcement and tougher penalties for exploitation of workers.The government did not report if these measures led to the identification of any potential trafficking victims. The government limited which foreign diplomats were eligible to bring domestic workers to Canada and hosted the first-ever mandatory trafficking awareness session for domestic workers in diplomatic households in December 2014. Authorities continued to distribute a publication warning Canadians traveling abroad about penalties under Canada’s child sex tourism law.There were no public reports of investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of child sex tourists in 2014. Canadian authorities provided anti-trafficking information to Canadian military forces prior to their deployment on international peacekeeping missions. The government made efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex but did not report efforts to reduce the demand for forced labor.The government provided anti-trafficking training or guidance for its diplomatic personnel.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Tier 3 
The Central African Republic (CAR) is a source, transit, and destination country for children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking, women subjected to forced prostitution, and adults subjected to forced labor. The scope of the CAR’s trafficking problem is unknown; however, despite violence and insecurity during the year, NGOs surveyed the problem. Observers report