Resources
What To Do If Your Child Goes Missing
If you believe your child has gone missing, it is important to remain calm. A clear mind is best at this time. Follow these immediate steps of action and contact police via 9-1-1. There is no law in Canada requiring a waiting period before reporting a missing child (anyone 18 years and younger) to police.
Resource: What To Do.pdf
International Child Abductions
International child abduction occurs when a parent, guardian or other person with lawful care or charge of a child removes that child from Canada or retains that child outside Canada, without either the legal authority or permission of a parent who has full or joint custody rights. There are ways to prevent international child abduction from occurring. There are also resources to help you if an international abduction takes place.
Resource: International Child Abductions.pdf
Warning Signs And Reasons Your Child May Run Away
The majority of cases of missing children in Canada are recorded as runaways, usually, teens or pre-teens who are facing difficulties in their lives. You can recognize some of the signs.
Resource: Warning Signs.pdf
Stranger Abduction
Stranger Abductions also known as Non-Family Abductions are the coerced and unauthorized taking of a child by someone other than a family member. Stranger Abductions are rare in Canada. In 2021, there were 18 reported stranger child abductions in Canada. Read more for tips on how to help protect your child from stranger abductions.
Resource: Stranger Abduction
Missing Children Resources - MCSC Indigenous Support Hub
The Missing Children Society of Canada has partnered with the Tosguna Tsuut'ina Nation Police Service to provide you with online support. Please click here for resources on missing children.
National Statistics
The first Canadian statistics on missing children were released in 1987. There were 57,233 children reported missing that year. In 2022, there were 31,334 reports of missing children in Canada as reported by the RCMP using numbers provided by the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC). Please click here to view the Missing Children and Youth Reports Fast Fact Sheet for 2021. The second table displays a breakdown of the reported cases of missing children in 2020 by province, profile, and sex.
*These statistics may not reflect the actual number of children currently missing in our country.
Access MCSC rescu, to see updated cases of missing children in Canada, leave a tip and sign up for SMS alerts. MCSC rescu is also available as an app in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.