Government launches new intelligence sharing partnership focused on fentanyl trafficking and other criminal use of funds

February 20, 2025 - Toronto, Ontario - Department of Finance Canada

Yesterday, the Government of Canada convened the first working meeting of the new Integrated Money Laundering Intelligence Partnership (IMLIP). This new partnership will support the permissible sharing of money laundering and

organized crime intelligence between law enforcement and Canada’s big banks. Canada’s newly appointed Commissioner of Canada’s Fight Against Fentanyl, Kevin Brosseau, launched the inaugural meeting and gave opening remarks.

As first announced in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement, this partnership will bolster Canada’s response to organized crime and high-end money laundering schemes, including related to fentanyl trafficking. The partnership will also help facilitate strong working relationships between law enforcement agencies and the financial services sector, to establish a greater understanding of money laundering threats that face Canada.

Membership includes RCMP Federal Policing program officials and the Chief Anti-Money Laundering Officers of major Canadian financial institutions. The Department of Finance Canada and Public Safety Canada are the convenors of the initial partnership meetings, assisting in setting up a formalized governance structure authorized by law, and providing policy support.

Participation in the IMLIP does not require disclosure of personal information by any participant, nor does it affect their ongoing legal or regulatory obligations, including any relevant compliance under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) or any privacy laws.

Canada also intends to use its 2025 G7 Presidency to highlight the threats from illicit finance and propose the development of a call to action by the G7 Finance Ministers to address criminal activity that impacts the financial sector and national security.

Quotes

“In order to be effective in addressing complex criminal activities such as money laundering, including those associated to lethal drugs like fentanyl, collaboration between the financial sector and law enforcement is key. This new partnership will play a vital role in helping detect, disrupt and prevent money laundering and organized crime activities.”

- The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc,
Minister of Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs

“One of the most effective ways we can tackle the illegal fentanyl trade and strengthen our border, is to follow the money. This new partnership will help identify and enable law enforcement to cut off illicit financial proceeds that fuel organized crime in this country, and work to dismantle the organizations that profit from illegal drugs.”

- The Honourable David McGuinty,
Minister of Public Safety

“Money laundering is a global problem that threatens Canada’s economy and national interests. To help combat this issue, the RCMP recognizes the importance of working with a wide array of partners to identify opportunities for disruption, and dismantle the organized crime groups involved. These partnerships will work to enhance our collective efforts and reduce the impact to Canadians.”

- RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme

“Canada is taking significant action to stop the production and trafficking of illegal fentanyl, and since no amount of fentanyl is too small to tackle, our goal is to eliminate it completely from our communities. This requires us to use every tool at our disposal, and intelligence sharing to combat money laundering is one of them. The new partnership will be a key contributor to help law enforcement agencies in their anti-money laundering efforts.”

- Kevin Brosseau,
Commissioner of Canada’s Fight Against Fentanyl

Quick facts

• On February 5, the Prime Minister announced the creation of a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, and money laundering. 

• The Prime Minister also issued a Directive on Transnational Crime and Border Security on February 4 with $200 million of supportive funding, recognizing the urgency of combatting the transnational organized crime groups who have become major enablers in the accelerating fentanyl crisis.  

• One of the core objectives of the Directive is to increase intelligence production and sharing and to enhance cooperation to disrupt drug trafficking by these transnational criminal organizations. 

• On February 11, the Prime Minister announced the appointment of Kevin Brosseau as Canada’s new Commissioner of Canada’s Fight Against Fentanyl. Mr. Brosseau will work closely with U.S. counterparts and law enforcement agencies to accelerate Canada’s ongoing work to detect, disrupt, and dismantle the fentanyl trade. 

• Over the last five years, the government has invested over $379 million to strengthen the effectiveness of Canada’s Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Terrorist Financing Regime, and made or is making legislative and regulatory changes, including by providing new tools to law enforcement, adding new criminal offences and strengthening penalties, enhancing information sharing, expanding the Regime to new sectors at risk of money laundering, and providing the Canada Border Services Agency with new authorities to pursue trade-based money laundering. 

• In January 2024, the government also launched a public, searchable beneficial ownership registry for federal corporations to make it harder for organized crime groups and other criminals to use shell corporations to hide proceeds of crime.