Our Mission

Our Approach

We provide direct service to individuals and families impacted by sex trafficking, create public education and awareness, and advocate on behalf of trafficked persons for systemic change. We lead out of lived experience and trauma-informed care.

We do this through:

1. Direct service: supporting individuals and families impacted by sex trafficking
2. Public education and awareness: training the public and professionals to recognize, prevent, and address sex trafficking
3. Advocacy: speaking up on behalf of trafficked persons for systemic change to end sex trafficking in Canada.

The Peer Mentor Program

BridgeNorth’s Peer Mentor Program develops leaders who directly help women and girls affected by human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The program is survivor-led by persons with lived experience who have successfully exited from human trafficking. They are thoroughly trained by BridgeNorth to become effective peer mentors and advocates.

Using their training and lived experience, peer mentors work alongside women and girls who help prevent them from being trafficked in the first place or empower them to exit ‘the life’ completely. Peer mentors take a trauma-informed approach that educates participants on strategies and skills, as well as connecting them with community resources to live a healthy, thriving life free from trafficking and exploitation.

Our Values

We are trusted. At BridgeNorth, you belong first. No matter where you are on your journey, we will meet you there. We start by creating an environment of trust so that you can safely belong in this community of bridge builders. 

• We nurture an environment of trust through safety, protection, and consistent care. We are honest, genuine, and consistent in our communications and interactions, creating a place of calm and understanding.
• We are committed to individuals’ physical safety and security, privacy, and confidentiality.
• We are truth-tellers and lead out of authentic lived experience and trauma-informed care. We are trusted co-journeyers on the long road to ending sex trafficking in Canada.
• We are trusted experts and advisors. We help guide national leaders in government, education, law enforcement, and public service sectors as we work to end sex trafficking in Canada.

We are hopeful. We help individuals believe in themselves again with the type of support that can only be provided by a peer mentor with lived experience. We believe that meaningful and lasting change is possible in the lives of individuals and systemically. 

• By leading out of lived experience, we serve as guides, consistently demonstrating that change is not only possible but that it is a reality. We help re-instill an individual’s confidence and faith in themselves and their belief in what is possible.
• We exist to be light in dark places, “a bridge over troubled waters.”
• We treat the whole person, confident that each person can embrace a wholehearted life, honouring and empowering each individual through their unique strengths and experiences.
• We never give up because love never gives up. We are anchored in hope. Love wins.

We are bridge builders. We empower individuals to become who they want to be, helping people navigate a new way forward. We help build bridges between resources, systems, leaders, and governments, and the people they exist to serve.

• At the heart of it, we are collaborative. We exist to partner with individuals, organizations, and systems to build bridges to end sex trafficking in Canada.
• We connect persons with lived experience with the tools and resources they need to safely exit and to stay out.
• We educate the Canadian public and connect them to tangible advocacy actions they can take.
• We help make real, lasting change possible – systemically – and in people’s individual lives and journeys. We are the bridge from hope to outcome.