Alberta RCMP say a father and his son are facing multiple charges after they allegedly coerced four foreign workers to clock up to 90 hours per week at two businesses without proper pay.
RCMP say they began investigating the Edmonton men last summer after receiving a complaint about exploitative working conditions at the gas station and motel they owned.
The motel is located in Fox Creek, in northwest Alberta, and the gas station is in Calmar, southwest of Edmonton.
Police allege the men also overcharged workers for rent and harassed their employees.
The investigation found the workers, who are from various countries, accrued more than $160,000 in unpaid earnings and that there may be more victims.
A 55-year-old man and his 26-year-old son are facing a total of five trafficking in persons charges and investigators say they are also looking into money laundering allegations connected with the men.
"Human trafficking is the act of recruiting, transporting, holding individuals by means of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of sexual or labour exploitation," said RCMP Insp. Breanne Brown.
"In this case, the RCMP determined that the suspects took action to harbour and recruit foreign workers by using threats, abuse of power, fraud and deception, all for the purpose of exploiting the labour of these workers."
RCMP Sgt. Roland Misik said labour trafficking is on the rise.
"Not to say that labour trafficking didn't exist before, but we're certainly seeing more of it," Misik told a news conference Thursday.
He said just before Alberta RCMP created its unit that investigates human trafficking in 2022, there were approximately 37 cases involving both sex trafficking and labour trafficking.
"In 2024, we reviewed over 180 investigations, with 21 of those being related to labour trafficking. This year, we have reviewed 65 investigations, with seven of those being focused on labour trafficking."
He said most traffickers have been able to successfully coerce vulnerable workers by withholding access to bank accounts and pay.
"When people are tied to their trafficker, they are held in debt bondage, including relying on their trafficker for things (such) as housing, food (and) financial support."
Misik encouraged Albertans to look out for signs of labour trafficking, such as workers with bruises or malnourishment from not being able to eat meals or get proper sleep.
