Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2020

Release date: March 17, 2022
Related article More information PDF version
Infographic: Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2020
Description: Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2020

The number of police-reported hate crimes increased 37% during the first year of the pandemic. This increase was mostly due to more incidents targeting race or ethnicity, which nearly doubled.


Police-reported hate crimes
Table summary
This table displays the results of Police-reported hate crimes. The information is grouped by Year (appearing as row headers), Number (appearing as column headers).
Year Number
2009 1,482
2010 1,401
2011 1,332
2012 1,414
2013 1,167
2014 1,295
2015 1,362
2016 1,409
2017 2,073
2018 1,817
2019 1,951
2020 2,669

In 2020, 62% of all police-reported hate crimes were motivated by race or ethnicity.


Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2. The information is grouped by Race/ethnicity (appearing as row headers), 2019, 2020 and Percentage  change, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Race/ethnicity 2019 2020 Percentage  change
number
Black 345 663 +92
East or Southeast Asian 67 269 +301
South Asian 81 119 +47
Arab or West Asian 125 123 -2
Indigenous 29 73 +152
White 48 81 +69
OtherTable 2 Note 1 150 193 +29
Not specified 39 73 +87
Total 884 1,594 +80
Note 1

Motivations based on race or ethnicity not otherwise stated and those that target more than one group.

Return to note 1 referrer

In 2020, 20% of hate crimes were motivated by religion.


Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3. The information is grouped by Religion (appearing as row headers), 2019, 2020 and Percentage  change, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Religion 2019 2020 Percentage  change
number
Jewish 306 321 +5
Muslim 182 82 -55
Catholic 51 42 -18
OtherTable 3 Note 1 57 41 -28
Not specified 17 29 +71
Total 613 515 -16
Note 1

Motivations based on religions not otherwise stated.

Return to note 1 referrer

Hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation fell slightly after peaking in 2019.


Table 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 4. The information is grouped by Motivation (appearing as row headers), 2019, 2020 and Percentage  change, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Motivation 2019 2020 Percentage  change
number
Sexual orientation 265 259 -2
Sex or gender 56 46 -18
OtherTable 4 Note 1 94 143 +52
Note 1

Includes mental or physical disabilities, language, age and other similar factors.

Return to note 1 referrer

In 2020, most provinces and two territories reported increases.


Table 5
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 5. The information is grouped by Province or territory (appearing as row headers), Number of hate crimes, 2020 and Change in number of hate crimes, 2019 to 2020 (appearing as column headers).
Province or territory Number of hate crimes, 2020 Change in number of hate crimes, 2019 to 2020
Canada 2,669 +718
Newfoundland and Labrador 8 +2
Prince Edward Island 7 -1
Nova Scotia 55 +23
New Brunswick 19 -11
Quebec 485 +86
Ontario 1,164 +316
Manitoba 55 0
Saskatchewan 53 +20
Alberta 291 +84
British Columbia 519 +198
Yukon 4 +2
Northwest Territories 4 -2
Nunavut 5 +1
0 true zero or a value rounded to zero

The majority of police-reported hate crimes were non-violent offences.


Table 6
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 6. The information is grouped by Type of crime (appearing as row headers), Percentage (appearing as column headers).
Type of crime Percentage
Non-violent offences 57
All mischief 44
Other non-violent offences 13
Violent offences 43
Common assault (level 1) 13
Uttering threats 12
Other violent offences 17

Note: Hate crime counts include both confirmed and suspected hate crime incidents. Information reflects data reported by police services covering 99.7% of the population of Canada.

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Centre for Justice and Community Safety Statistics, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey.

More information

Note of appreciation

Canada owes the success of its statistical system to a long-standing partnership between Statistics Canada, the citizens of Canada, its businesses, governments and other institutions. Accurate and timely statistical information could not be produced without their continued co-operation and goodwill.

Standards of service to the public

Statistics Canada is committed to serving its clients in a prompt, reliable and courteous manner. To this end, the Agency has developed standards of service which its employees observe in serving its clients.

Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2022

All rights reserved. Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

Report a problem on this page

Is something not working? Is there information outdated? Can't find what you're looking for?

Please contact us and let us know how we can help you.

Privacy notice

Date modified: