Summit Brings Federal, Provincial and Local Leaders Together to Combat Extortion in Peel Region

BRAMPTON, ON, Jan. 13, 2026 /CNW/ - Criminal networks use extortion to fund and exert control over illegal markets such as drug trafficking, auto theft, and firearms smuggling. These groups often use intimidation tactics through social media, and threats can turn violent – fueling gang activity and undermining public safety.

Today in Brampton, Ontario, the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety and the Honourable Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State for Combatting Crime, joined the Honourable Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario, municipal leaders and law enforcement officials for a summit on combatting extortion and other emerging threats in Peel Region. The summit was an important milestone, building on Peel Region's recent efforts to reinforce collaboration, improve coordination between enforcement agencies to protect local businesses and residents, and advance integrated initiatives designed to disrupt the criminal networks behind these crimes that operate across borders and jurisdictions.

The Government of Canada is providing Peel Regional Police with up to $1 million to bolster the Service's work to combat extortion, support and provide services to victims, and build on efforts already underway through its extortion task force. The task force provides rapid, community-level response, and leverages intelligence from federal partners including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which acts rapidly to remove foreign nationals involved in criminality, including extortion, demonstrating the effective impact of coordinated enforcement among all partners. The CBSA is committed to supporting the task force to accelerate their important efforts.

The Government of Canada is committed to contributing to the fight against organized crime groups that perpetuate crimes like extortion and drug trafficking, hurting our communities. This is why the Government of Canada will establish a new Regional Integrated Drug Enforcement Team (RIDET) in partnership with the Government of Ontario and local authorities. Backed by a federal investment of $4 million over four years, provided through Canada's Border Plan, the RIDET will bring together law enforcement resources from multiple agencies and jurisdictions in a centralized hub to share information and intelligence and increase law enforcement coordination to disrupt organized crime groups that control the illegal drug market and perpetuate extortion.

Building on these investments, the Government of Canada is taking action to protect communities from organized crime, through funding for gun and gang violence prevention, stronger enforcement, tougher laws, improved intelligence sharing and the creation of a new Canada Financial Crimes Agency to go after the money that fuels organized crime.

Budget 2025 commits $1.8 billion over four years to strengthen federal law enforcement. The RCMP will add 1,000 new personnel to increase federal investigative capacity and tackle financial crimes, addressing the most serious criminal threats including organized crime, cybercrime, and national security.

As well, Budget 2025 provides funding for 1,000 new CBSA officers across multiple frontline and operational functions. These officers will enhance border management and enforcement capacity and strengthen the CBSA's ability to detect, disrupt and deter illegal activity.

New legislation, such as Bill C-14--the Bail and Sentencing Reform Act, would make bail harder to obtain and impose tougher sentences for extortion-related offences.

To prevent gun and gang violence before it starts, the Government of Canada has committed over $390 million through the Gun and Gang Violence Action Fund, including $121 million for Ontario, since 2023. These investments are complemented by the $250 million Building Safer Communities Fund (BSCF), which helps municipalities deliver local initiatives that prevent gun and gang violence. Peel Region alone has received $8.14 million through the BSCF to strengthen community safety and provide young people with positive alternatives.

Ontario has invested $160 million in Peel Region through public safety grant programs that support local policing and community safety initiatives, since 2018. This funding provides flexibility to implement initiatives that address policing needs and priority risks related to community safety and well-being. Part of the funding includes $4.5 million that has been allocated towards Peel Regional Police's Gang Response Strategy, under  the Guns and Gangs Violence Reduction Strategy, among other initiatives focused on gang suppression, prevention, and enforcement.

The summit concluded with a unified pledge to continue working together to tackle organized crime, protect the people of Peel Region and the local economy and bring perpetrators to justice. Extortion is a serious crime. The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario urge anyone affected not to comply with demands and to report incidents to local police, or anonymously through Crime Stoppers. More information is available at Extortions in Peel Region webpage. Help is available.

Quotes

"Today's summit underscored the importance of working together to disrupt criminal networks and protect businesses and residents in Peel Region. By launching the Regional Integrated Drug Enforcement Team and enhancing local efforts to combat extortion and support victims, we are building on the Peel extortion task force and leveraging federal intelligence, including CBSA resources, to deliver a coordinated, community-focused response."

      -   The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety

"As the Member of Parliament for Brampton North--Caledon, I know the fear that organized crime and extortion create in our community. I also know how hard our Peel Regional Police are working to take down these organized criminal networks. To support them in their effort, we've introduced tougher laws and invested in better intelligence sharing, law and border enforcement resources, as well as prevention initiatives to keep Peel Region safe for everyone." 

    -  The Honourable Ruby Sahota, Secretary of State, Combatting Crime

"Extortion is a serious crime that preys on fear and erodes public safety in our communities. Today's summit reflects how leaders from across the country are working together to disrupt threats such as extortion and organized crime. The Government of Canada has taken decisive action with the introduction of Bill C-14 (Bail and Sentencing Reform Act), which would strengthen our bail and sentencing laws, including making bail harder to get for individuals charged with violent extortion. Intimidation and violence have no place in our society."

   -   The Honourable Sean Fraser, P.C., K.C., M.P., Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

"Extortion is a serious crime that threatens communities, businesses, and undermines public safety. Ontario is proud to work with our federal, municipal, and law enforcement partners to disrupt organized crime, strengthen enforcement, and improve intelligence sharing to protect Ontarians. Since 2018-19, our government has allocated over $160 million to Peel Region for a variety of public safety grants. We will continue these investments to support the Peel Regional Police Service in combatting extortion by continuing to fund critical investigations through the Criminal Intelligence Service of Ontario, and most recently through a $1.5 million allocation under our Guns and Gangs Violence Reductions Strategy, to support Peel's Strategic and Tactical Enforcement Policing (STEP) initiative." 

   -   The Honourable Michael Kerzner, Solicitor General of Ontario

"Peel Regional Police has been leading efforts to combat extortion, not only in Peel Region, but alongside our municipal, provincial and federal partners across the country. We have made significant investments in resources to combat this transnational issue that is profoundly impacting our Region. This investment will assist with our multifaceted approach to stopping the violence and intimidation impacting our communities. Strong collaboration, legislative reform and dedicated funding are critical to disrupting organized criminal networks and keeping our communities safe."

   -   Nishan Duraiappah, Peel Regional Police Chief

"Today's summit illustrates the Canada Border Services Agency's commitment to working with local, provincial, and federal partners to disrupt organized crime afflicting our communities, and prioritizing the investigation and removal of foreign nationals inadmissible on serious grounds such as security, human rights violations and organized criminality as well as those convicted of serious criminal offences."

    -   Lisa Janes, Regional Director General, Greater Toronto Area Region, Canada Border Services Agency

"In collaboration with local policing partners and international law enforcement agencies, the RCMP is dedicated to ensuring the safety of all Canadians. Extortion victims are losing their sense of security to criminals using intimidation tactics to exploit vulnerabilities. Individuals and organized crime groups that use coercion or threats for personal gain will be held accountable."

    -   A/Commr. Matt Peggs, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Regional Commander, Federal Policing – Central Region

Quick facts

• To disrupt organized crime before it reaches our communities, in 2025 the Government of Canada strengthened cross-border enforcement and intelligence, expanded RCMP presence in the U.S. and Mexico, and tightened controls on precursor chemicals, through its Border Plan.
• Several transnational criminal organizations, including major cartels and the Bishnoi Gang, are now listed as terrorist entities under the Criminal Code. Listing is an important tool that supports criminal investigations and strengthens the RCMP's ability to prevent and disrupt terrorist activity in Canada.
• The first Regional Integrated Drug Enforcement Team (RIDET), based in British Columbia, was announced at the Trilateral Summit on Combatting Extortion in Surrey, B.C., in November 2025.
• At the November G7 Interior and Security Ministers' meeting in Ottawa, ministers committed to strengthening collective action against transnational organized crime by leveraging "follow-the-money" strategies, adapting counter-terrorism and cyber security measures, and enhancing global cooperation to disrupt high-threat criminal networks, promote accountability, and seek justice for victims.
• The RCMP has launched the Report Cybercrime and Fraud website, a new national system for individuals, businesses, and organizations to report incidents of fraud and cybercrime. Information gathered will help police solve cases, disrupt cybercriminal activity, and prevent further victimization.

Related products

• Combatting Extortion: Roles and Responsibilities

Associated links

• Budget 2025
• CBSA in British Columbia opens multiple immigration investigations and removes three individuals
• Government of Canada hosts National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft

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SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

Contacts: Simon Lafortune, Deputy Director of Communications and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]