Infographic: Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2021

Release date: March 22, 2023
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Infographic: Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2021
Description: Infographic: Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2021

1) The number of police-reported hate crimes increased 27% in the second year of the pandemic. This follows a 36% increase in 2020.


Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1. The information is grouped by Police-reported hate crimes (appearing as row headers), (appearing as column headers).
Police-reported hate crimes
Year Number
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 2,646
2021 3,360

2) Hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity were up 6% in 2021, after rising 83% in 2020.


Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2. The information is grouped by Race/ethnicity (appearing as row headers), 2020, 2021 and Percentage change, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Race/ethnicity 2020 2021 Percentage change
number
Black 676 642 -5%
East and Southeast Asian 263 305 +16%
South Asian 135 164 +21%
Arab and West Asian 126 184 +46%
Indigenous 78 77 -1%
White 85 53 -38%
OtherTable 2 Note 1 188 221 +18%
Not specified 68 77 +13%
Total 1,619 1,723 +6%
Note 1

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

Return to note 1 referrer

3) Following three years of decline, police-reported hate crimes motivated by religion peaked in 2021.


Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3. The information is grouped by Religion (appearing as row headers), 2020, 2021 and Percentage change, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Religion 2020 2021 Percentage change
number
Jewish 331 487 +47%
Muslim 84 144 +71%
Catholic 43 155 +260%
OtherTable 3 Note 1 40 64 +60%
Not specified 32 34 +6%
Total 530 884 +67%
Note 1

Motivations based on religions not otherwise stated.

Return to note 1 referrer

4) Hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation rose in 2021 after falling slightly in 2020.


Table 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 4. The information is grouped by Motivation (appearing as row headers), 2020, 2021 and Percentage change, calculated using number units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Motivation 2020 2021 Percentage change
number
Sexual orientation 258 423 +64%
Sex or gender 49 62 +27%
OtherTable 4 Note 1 151 137 -9%
Note 1

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

Return to note 1 referrer

5) In 2021, all 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, 2021 and Change in number of hate crimes, 2020 to 2021 (appearing as column headers).
Province or territory Number of hate crimes, 2021 Change in number of hate crimes, 2020 to 2021
Canada 3,360 +714
Newfoundland and Labrador 12 +3
Prince Edward Island 19 +11
Nova Scotia 72 +14
New Brunswick 39 +20
Quebec 488 +34
Ontario 1,629 +470
Manitoba 75 +17
Saskatchewan 57 +6
Alberta 339 +45
British Columbia 598 +77
Yukon 5 0
Northwest Territories 5 +1
Nunavut 11 +6
0 true zero or a value rounded to zero

6) 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 56%
All mischief 45%
Other non-violent offences 11%
Violent offences 44%
Common assault (level 1) 13%
Uttering threats 13%
Other violent offences 18%

Notes:

  • Hate crime counts include both confirmed and suspected hate crime incidents.
  • The information in this infographic reflects data reported by police services covering 99.7% of Canada’s population.
  • Under the authority of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal (CFPM), the Canadian Forces Military Police Group began reporting incidents to the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. Data from the Office of the CFPM are aggregated at the national level to account for small counts and to protect confidentiality. Therefore, provincial and territorial totals will not equal national totals.

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

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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, 2023

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

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

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