The Government of Alberta announced the creation of a new office, lead by a public-private partnership between the government and non-profit agencies, to combat human trafficking in the province.

The Alberta Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons will be lead by agencies #NotInMyCity, Native Counselling Services of Alberta, and REACH Edmonton Council for Safer Communities.

The office comes from work done by the province’s Human Trafficking Task Force, which tabled their report to the government in May of last year.

“Oftentimes, this isn’t an issue that is thought about in places like Alberta. We need to understand that trafficking happens, and it happens here, and in many forms,” said Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services.

“We need to do our part to disrupt it, and in fact, stop it.”