A rapid escalation in extortion threats and transnational organized crime has left city councils with large Punjabi immigrant populations increasingly alarmed, prompting urgent appeals to provincial and federal governments for intervention.

After British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta were shaken by a rise in extortion cases, municipalities across Canada are now seeking support “to keep their communities safe.” City councils have held town hall meetings with victims, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies, but the threat has continued to grow.

The issue has been repeatedly debated in the House of Commons, offering little relief to victims who report receiving threatening calls or whose homes and businesses have been targeted by gunfire.

The Punjabi community, particularly Sikhs, has been among the hardest hit by this wave of extortion and transnational crime.

The latest municipality to raise concerns is Brampton, one of Canada’s most populous cities with a large Indian immigrant population.

On Tuesday, Mayor Patrick Brown sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree, stating, “I am writing to you further to a motion adopted by Brampton City Council concerning the escalating threat of extortion and transnational organized crime affecting the City of Brampton and the broader Region of Peel.”

Brown said he also shared the motion with Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the province’s Solicitor General to underscore the “seriousness and urgency” of the issue.

Extortion driven by transnational criminal networks has increased at an alarming rate in the Peel Region, Brown warned, with small businesses and vulnerable community members disproportionately targeted through threats of violence, arson, and intimidation. He noted that the scale, sophistication, and cross-border nature of these crimes place them beyond what municipal resources can address on their own.

“We acknowledge and commend the Government of Canada’s recent actions in British Columbia, including dedicated federal funding for integrated enforcement teams targeting organized crime, as well as investments in victim support, outreach, and safety planning. These measures recognize that extortion and organized crime are national public safety issues requiring federal leadership, coordination, and resources,” he said.

According to Brown, extortion rates in Peel Region now meet or exceed levels that justified federal intervention in British Columbia. He argued that equitable treatment requires federal support to be based on crime severity rather than geography. Without comparable investment, communities such as Brampton remain exposed to internationally operating criminal networks that exploit digital platforms and rely on intimidation to silence victims.

Referring to a motion introduced by Deputy Mayor Harkirat Singh and unanimously approved by council, Brown urged the federal government to extend dedicated extortion and organized crime task force funding to Peel Region, mirroring the British Columbia model; provide targeted funding for victim support and community outreach, including culturally informed services and safety planning; and establish formal intelligence-sharing frameworks among federal, provincial, and municipal law enforcement agencies.

“These actions would significantly strengthen public safety, protect vulnerable communities, and ensure a coordinated national response to a threat that is neither local nor isolated,” Brown said, adding that Brampton and Peel Region are prepared to work closely with federal and provincial partners to address the challenge.

In a separate letter to Premier Ford, Brown reiterated his concerns, writing, “I am writing further to a motion adopted by Brampton City Council addressing the growing impact of extortion and transnational organized crime on the City of Brampton and the broader Region of Peel.”

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