On September 14, 2026, two men from Montreal appeared before an Edmonton court and entered not‑guilty pleas to nearly twenty counts of human trafficking.
The defendants are the remaining two of a trio originally charged in the case, which has been investigated by Alberta police in cooperation with the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT).
The charges stem from an alleged cross‑Canada trafficking network that police say operated for more than ten years, moving victims between provinces.
The current case follows the larger Project Endgame operation launched last year, in which authorities brought a series of charges against individuals linked to the network.
Prosecutors indicated that the offences alleged against the Montreal men involve multiple acts that together total nearly twenty separate counts.
While the men have denied the allegations, the investigation has been ongoing for over a decade, with law‑enforcement agencies gathering evidence across provincial borders.
Alberta police and ALERT continue to examine the broader network, emphasizing that the present trial is part of a longer effort to dismantle the trafficking operation.
The court proceedings are expected to continue in the coming months as both the Crown and defence prepare for a full trial.
No further details about the alleged victims or specific incidents were released at the hearing.
The Edmonton court will hear arguments on bail and pre‑trial motions in the weeks ahead, with the Crown indicating that it intends to proceed to trial.
The case illustrates the ongoing challenge for Canadian law‑enforcement agencies to address trans‑national human‑trafficking rings that span multiple jurisdictions.