A once-little-known tip line for reporting online child sexual exploitation that has gone on to help shut down a number of illegal websites has officially launched nationally.

Called cybertip.ca, the online service was first based in Manitoba. Created by Child Find Manitoba in September, 2002, it became the first online service in Canada to report instances of child exploitation.

The website's goal has been to collect complaints and incident reports about child sexual exploitation or luring on the Internet and forward the most serious to appropriate law enforcement agencies.

The pilot project gained an international reputation through word of mouth. Within two years of its inception, it had been credited with several cases of police charging offenders with producing and distributing online child pornography.

"We've had over 2,000 reports from the public," Lianna McDonald, executive director of Child Find Manitoba told Canada AM Monday.

"We've had over 400 websites hosting illegal material shut down as well as 10 arrests as a result of the public coming forward and making those important reports."

"And we know that we've had a few instances where there have been children in Canada who have been removed from a situation where they have been victimized."

The federal government has also noticed Cybertip.ca's success. Just before the June federal election, Prime Minister Paul Martin announced an extra $42 million over five years to help fight Internet-based child exploitation.

Most of the money was earmarked for the RCMP, but some of it went to Cybertip.ca, helping to double its budget to about $1 million annually.

McDonald say she hopes that by now marketing the project nationally, police will be able to crack down on pedophiles who prey for children on Internet chat rooms or who create and sell child porn on the Web.

"Essentially, what we're going to be doing today is putting out a call to action to Canadians to say 'we need you. We need you to be the eyes and ears.' Essentially cybertip.ca is like the neighbourhood watch of the internet. In order to reduce child victimization online, we need your help."

Police forces have long complained they don't have the resources to keep up with the amount of child pornography being accessed on the Internet in Canada. But many believe that police have so far only been able to make a dent in the problem.

"We think it's quite prevalent," says McDonald. "It's difficult to know because it's illegal. So in terms of monitoring quantity, it's difficult to do that.

"But certainly if you look at this, as a Manitoba pilot with no marketing, receiving over 2,000 reports -- that says something. It says that Canadians are coming across this type of content and they need to report it."

Cybertip.ca's other mandate is to educate parents and kids about the dangers of the Internet. The website reports that 38 per cent of young people using the Internet say that their parents know nothing or very little about their online activities. At the same time, one in four children has had a stranger ask to meet them in person. And 15 per cent of all young Internet users have met in person at least one individual whom they first met on the Web.

Cybertip.ca is asking parents to be on the lookout child pornography online, or for those who appear to be attempting to lure a child for sexual purposes or commit some other sexual offence against a child. They can submit a report to Cybertip.ca by visiting www.cybertip.ca and filling out an online reporting form, calling a toll free number (1-866-658-9022), or faxing (1-204-948-2177) the report information.

Cybertip.ca analysts are available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week to accept calls from those who require direct assistance. Cybertip.ca's analysts will review and prioritize every report they receive. If the website is assessed to contain potentially illegal material, police will be contacted.