As one campaign ends to stop human trafficking, another begins — but on a larger scale.
Today marked the end of #ProjectOnRoute which focused on raising awareness for people stopping at OnRoutes along the 400 series highway in Ontario, by showing a video on the screen.
#ProjectMapleLeaf now replaces #ProjectOnRoute, but instead of just Ontario, it is going national.
The event was marked at the Tilbury OnRoute Tuesday morning.
Across Ontario, the 14 second video had the potential of reaching 16.5 million views and the campaign focused on the centres because many victims are transported between cities using the 400 series highways.
Over 60% of those trafficked in Canada, traveled along the 400 series highways.
Essex County OPP Inspector Glenn Miller says society should not tolerate this crime in today's day and age.
"Human trafficking today is the modern form of slavery," says Inspector Miller. "If we can recall years ago when we would hear that word about slavery, how totally unacceptable and repulsive that is, yet most of us didn't know what that was about."
He says this is a multi-billion dollar industry that is controlled by individuals and organized criminal enterprise groups and they prey on the vulnerable.
"The most powerful thing we have is our eyes," Miller told the crowd at the Tilbury OnRoute centre referring to people who see something suspicious.
July 30th is the International Day to End Trafficking.
Inspector Miller says the public needs to note 'irregular behaviour' like a young girl in the back of a car with another person and then a driver in the front or a person coming into a service centre without money and having food purchased for them and told where to seat, they are manhandled and they walk with their heads down.