The Canadian Centre for Information on Missing Adults

The Canadian Centre for Information on Missing Adults

Providing Knowledge and Guidance to Families of Missing Adults.

Who is a Missing Adult

A missing adult is a person, who is 18 years of age or older at the time of the disappearance, whose whereabouts is unknown, and there is concern for the person’s safety or well-being.

Quick Facts

The time to contact police is when you realize that the person is missing. Once you become aware that someone may be missing, contact family members and friends to ask when they last talked/saw the person and if anyone knows of her/his current location. Have someone check areas or places where the missing person is known to frequent. If you are still unable to locate your loved one, please contact police. Police are often the single best resource in locating missing persons.

You need only to know the missing person’s routine well enough to realize that the routine is not being followed.

Early intervention is important.

Regardless of the amount of time that has passed since your loved one went missing, you can report them as missing. Police understand that there are many reasons for delays in reporting a missing person.

What to do when your loved one is missing

When someone you love goes missing, please contact your local police to file a missing person report as soon as possible. Law enforcement is the single best resource in helping to locate missing persons. Even when the person has disappeared years or decades before, you can still file a missing person report.

Important information to provide is:

  • the most recent photo(s)
  • physical details including description such as age, height, weight, hair and eye colour
  • other identifying features may include any tattoos, scar, birth marks or moles
  • other pertinent information may include any medical conditions, medication and/or any physical limitations

For a more complete list of information that may be required by police, please see Missing Person Checklist.

The signal for help

The Signal for Help is a silent and unique one-handed gesture that can be used to show that help is needed.

Icons of hand with tucked thumb
Icons with hand where fingers are trapping the thumb

Our latest resources to help you

We have compiled easy-to-read and understand FACT SHEETS