Ontario is leading the country in hate crime statistics

Statistics Canada has released concerning data surrounding the rise in hate crimes across the country.

The 2024 report covers a ten-year period from 2012 to 2022, which focuses on shifts in trends surrounding police-reported hate crimes on both a provincial and national scale. While the frequency of these criminal offenses fluctuates based on the region, Ontario was shown to be one of the key areas where hate crimes are on the rise.

On a national scale, reported hate crimes have been growing exponentially since 2012, with a staggering 83 per cent rise between 2019 and 2022. Specific criminal acts committed due to the victim’s race or ethnicity increased by 12 per cent, while additional hate-driven offenses surrounding sexual identity also saw a 12 per cent increase in 2022 alone. 

On a provincial level, certain locations have seen hate crime data trend downwards, however, Ontario is not one of them. 

Ontario saw 1,916 hate crimes (the most of any province)  in 2022, an increase of 292 incidents when compared to the previous year. Additional regions that saw hate-related criminal activity trend upward included Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. 

While the majority of police-reported hate crimes remained non-violent in 2022 — sitting at 54 per cent — 46 per cent of these offenses did stem from violent action. While information concerning 2023 has yet to be released, Statistics Canada has indicated that it will be ready by the summer of 2024.