Just the facts – missing and abducted children

Numbers in Canada

• The first national statistics on missing children in Canada were released in 1987, with more than 57,000 cases reported that year
• In 2025 there were 34,189 reports of missing children in Canada
• 24,050 of those reports were identified as runaways, representing the majority at 70%
• That same year, 119 (0.3%) were parental abductions, and 13 (0.04%) were abduction by a stranger
• For a full breakdown by province, sex, and probable cause, see our Fast Facts
• Approximately 59% of all missing children or youth involved are female and 41% male
• 57% of cases were closed within 24 hours, and 91% were closed within a week
• Less than 0.2% will still be missing a year later
• Between 2015 and 2025, police issued 96 Amber alerts involving 122 abducted children and 114 were recovered and returned safely
• In 2025, there were 5 Amber alert activations involving 7 children; all returned safely

Consequences and dangers

• When youth run away, there is an increased risk of them becoming victims of physical or sexual assault, violence, theft, addiction to drugs and alcohol, homelessness, and involvement with gangs
• While most child abductions by a parent – referred to as parental abductions — are resolved, they remain traumatic events that can have lifelong effects on victims compounding the trauma of the family breakdown; many of these children are traumatized by the experience from things such as being forced to live like fugitives and in poverty
• Motivations for parental abduction are complicated and differ widely and can include revenge, love, mental instability, and control, among others
• While the abduction of a child by a stranger is rare, the outcome can be extremely traumatic or even fatal
• Motivations for an abduction by a stranger could include for a sexual purpose, to cause harm to a child or the child's family, for financial motives, or because of mental health problems

Tips for Safety

• Prevention strategies include communicating with your child, getting to know your child's friends and social network, talking to your child about the dangers of running away, and telling your child you love them
• Make home a safe space where children know they are safe and loved; this will help them be more likely to be open with you when something is wrong and may help avoid runaways
• Tell your children to ask you for permission before going anywhere so you know where they are and when they will return home
• For very young children, introduce the buddy system
• For those a little older, encourage them to leave situations where they feel uncomfortable or in danger

Warning signs of runaways

Warning signs your child is thinking of running away include:

• Accumulating money: Children may begin accumulating money as part of the planning process to run away
• Talking about running away: Children who express thoughts about running away should always be taken seriously
• Substance abuse: Children with substance abuse issues have a higher risk of becoming runaways for reasons such as conflict at home, pull of the lifestyle, or becoming trafficked to feed the addiction.

How to take action

• If your loved one disappears or is abducted, call your local police or 9‑1‑1 immediately
• In Canada, there is no minimum amount of time required before reporting your child missing
• If you believe your child has been taken out of the country, you should contact your local police to contact the National Centre for Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains (NCMPUR) managed by the RCMP
• Have regular conversations with children about their safety
• Check out resources available to families at Missing Children Society of Canada (MCSC) and the Réseau Enfants-Retour