“One builder, speaking anonymously to media, captured the dread: many believed the problem was confined ‘south of the Fraser,’ yet extortion calls are now reaching deep into Vancouver’s Punjabi business community, forcing entrepreneurs to hide their identities and scale back operations,” it added.

The report noted that this is not just a ‘community issue’ — but a warning sign of organised crime infiltrating and exploiting Canada’s openness, with transnational networks — often connected to groups like the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, designated a terrorist entity by the Canadian government — operating with impunity.

“These criminals exploit diaspora ties, use cryptocurrency for untraceable payments, and escalate to gunfire when demands go unmet. The result? A surge in extortion cases that has seen hundreds reported in B.C. alone in recent years, with spikes of over 200 per cent in some areas since the mid-2010s. Similar patterns plague Brampton, Edmonton, and Toronto, where Punjabi and South Asian business owners face the same terror,” it mentioned.

“Canada’s reputation as a safe, welcoming nation is eroding before our eyes. Successful immigrants who came here to build lives and contribute to the economy — through construction, real estate, and small businesses — are now fleeing cities or curtailing their ambitions out of fear. Projects stall, economic activity slows, and entire neighbourhoods live under a shadow of intimidation. When law-abiding citizens must erase their public presence to avoid becoming victims, something fundamental has failed,” it stated.

The report underscored the urgent need for decisive action before “more lives, livelihoods, and the Canadian dream itself are held hostage”.