Responding to Hate Crimes

Ontario is one of the best places in the world to be Jewish, but statistics show that the Jewish community nevertheless remains one of the province’s most frequent targets of hate crime.

Statistics Canada’s latest report on police-reported hate crime demonstrated that Jewish Canadians remain the country’s most frequently targeted religious minority. Jews are approximately 1% of Canada’s population but were victimized by 62% of hate crimes against a religious group.

Community safety requires active partnership with government and law enforcement to ensure timely information regarding threats, security developments, and best practices, and to respond promptly to emerging community concerns.

It is essential that, when a hate- or bias-motivated incident occurs, police, prosecutors, and judges handle it with seriousness, sensitivity, and skill. To so do, enhanced resources, training, and coordination, along with useful definitions and greater understanding of lived experience, are required.