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OTTAWA — Police reported far fewer crimes related to the sex trade in Canada between 2020 and 2024, continuing a long-term decline following changes to federal law a decade ago, according to new data released today.
A new Juristat report from Statistics Canada shows police recorded about 4,300 sex trade-related incidents nationwide from 2020 to 2024. That marks a drop of 22 per cent from the previous five-year period and a 58 per cent decline compared with the years before the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act came into force in 2014.
The legislation shifted criminal enforcement away from people who sell their own sexual services and toward those who purchase services or profit from the activities of others. Statistics Canada says much of the decline is tied to a sharp reduction in offences involving stopping or communicating for the purpose of selling services, which fell by 97 per cent over the past decade.
The report also shows a significant change in who is accused of sex trade-related offences. From 2020 to 2024, men accounted for 93 per cent of accused individuals, while women made up seven per cent. Before the legislative changes, women represented about 40 per cent of accused persons.
Provincially, Manitoba recorded the highest average annual rate of police-reported sex trade-related crime during the most recent period, followed by Saskatchewan, Quebec and New Brunswick. All four provinces exceeded the national rate.
Court data show similar trends. Between 2019 and 2024, about 1,300 sex trade cases were completed in adult criminal courts, down 39 per cent from the years immediately after the law took effect and down 77 per cent compared with the period before the legislation. Just over one-third of those cases resulted in a guilty decision, a higher proportion than in earlier periods.
Statistics Canada says the findings suggest the legislative shift continues to shape both police enforcement and court outcomes across the country.
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