Parliamentary Committee Notes: Rise in Hate Crimes

Issue:

Due to the global and domestic context, Canada continues to see high rates of community tension, incidents of hate, hate crimes and violence.

Proposed Response:

Background:

The number of police-reported hate crimes increased by 7%, from 3,355 incidents in 2021 to 3,576 incidents in 2022. This followed a 72% increase from 2019 to 2021. The number of police-reported hate crimes in Canada remains higher than the previous 10 year average. These higher numbers were, for the most part, related to incidents motivated by hatred targeting the Muslim, Jewish and Black populations.

The outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas has evoked a strong response among Canadians of all backgrounds, which has implications for Canada and Canadians’ security.

Other forms of hate expression being are also being experienced, (e.g., display of hate symbols) which do not meet the legal threshold for hate-related offences. Certain minority and religious groups feel unsafe and have raised significant concerns about their safety in community gathering spaces, public spaces, and in their homes.

Since October 7th, many larger jurisdictions (Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver specifically) have experience notable increases in hate crimes, while some smaller jurisdictions have experience little to no change in hate crime reporting. However, anecdotally, many jurisdictions are seeing reduced hate crime reporting since December. For example, Montreal has observed a decrease in hate crimes reported back to numbers in line with pre-October 7th reporting.

Security Infrastructure Program (SIP): Public Safety, through the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP), contributes to the Government of Canada’s efforts to help ensure everyone feels safe in their community gathering spaces, particularly community centres, schools and places of worship. SIP supports communities at-risk of hate-motivated crimes by providing time-limited funding for security infrastructure. Funding is available to private, not-for-profit organizations that are at risk of being victimized by hate-motivated crime, including: places of worship; provincially/territorially recognized private educational institutions; shelters for victims of gender-based violence, community centres and/or other publicly accessible community-based facilities used by Canadian private, not-for-profit organizations, associations, or societies for their operations.

On November 6, 2023 it was announced that an additional investment of $5 million would be made available to help Canadian communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes protect and strengthen the security of their community centres, places of worship and other institutions. On December 19, 2023, an additional $5M was announced, for a total increase of $10M, to help Canadian communities at risk of hate-motivated crimes. A new temporary measure in the Security Infrastructure Program will cover new sites, such as office spaces and daycares, that are clearly linked to communities at-risk of hate-motivated crime, as well as costs associated with time-limited security guards. The program closed intake for applications on February 18, 2024 to permit time for processing and successful completion of projects. Projects must be completed by March 31, 2024. In addition, PS officials have assessed all of the applications from the 2023 SIP call for proposals, have informed applicants if they have been accepted or not, and will be following up to finalize contribution agreements shortly.

Canada’s Action Plan on Combatting Hate (CAPCH): CAPCH proposes to increase prevention, protection, and law enforcement efforts against hate crimes, hate speech and other forms of hate, as well as to increase supports for victims of hate crimes. CAPCH is built on a community-based approach with three pillars for actions: 1) Empowering communities to prevent hate; 2) Supporting victims and affected communities; and 3) Building community trust, partnerships and institutional readiness.

RCMP – CRRF Hate Crimes Task Force: The RCMP also supports efforts to address hate crime in Canada, by strengthening its leadership as a co-chair of the Hate Crime Task Force, along with the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF). Established in 2022, the Task Force is a network of dedicated, knowledgeable and experienced subject-matter experts, committed to improving the police response to hate motivated crimes and incidents in Canada. In its first year, the Task Force established a diverse network of hate crime units who exchange best practices, support investigations, and transfer knowledge around complex issues. 

Canada Centre for Community Engagement and Prevention of Violence (Canada Centre): The Canada Centre is working with partners to prevent extreme forms of violence motivated by ideological, political or religious grievances, including hate motivated forms. This includes online and offline dimensions.

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