Ottawa sees 20% rise in hate incidents over past year
The number of hate-related incidents in Ottawa rose nearly 20 per cent in 2023, and the city's police chief said these "concerning" numbers underscore the need for improved education on combating hatred.
Last year, there were 460 reported hate-related incidents, which include both criminal and non-criminal, police Chief Eric Stubbs said at a news conference Monday.
That's compared to 385 incidents in 2022, he added.
"The increased number of hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents are concerning," Stubbs said.
Educating the public about hate crimes, what they entail and how people can report one is essential to spreading awareness and building trust with those who are on the receiving end, Stubbs said. But educating people committing hate crimes is also important, he added.
"A lot of the offenders need that education that what they're saying, what they're doing, what they're carrying — be it a flag or a sign — this is a criminal code offence and we want that behaviour to stop," he said.
Ottawa police Chief Eric Stubbs says there's been a "concerning" rise of hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents in the city over the past year. (Jean Delisle/CBC)
The Jewish community and LGBTQ community were the most targeted groups, according to police. Ali Toghrol, a sergeant with the hate and bias crime unit, also says the number of hate-related incidents against Muslims has increased by 160 per cent from the previous year, though he could not provide the specific number of incidents.
Stubbs says global events have been a factor. Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, 128 hate-related incidents and hate crimes have been reported in Ottawa, which Stubbs said is an increase compared to the same time last year.
"We understand how the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has affected the Jewish and Muslim communities and many others here in Ottawa. We are actively working with organizers to encourage peaceful assemblies," he said.
Jewish community feeling rise in hate firsthand
"We've been seeing an exponential rise in hate, it's been rising constantly day after day," said David Granovsky, director of government relations for B'nai Brith Canada.
"As a member of the Jewish community, it's been tough to see the hate, but also it's been great to see the allyship," Granovsky said, adding he's pleased with how Ottawa police have been handling hate-related incidents in the city.
Incidents affecting the Jewish community made up 27 per cent of reported hate-related incidents in 2023, Ottawa police said.
David Granovsky, director of government relations with B'nai Brith Canada, says the Jewish community has seen an 'exponential' rise in hate across the country since Oct. 7. (Francis Ferland/Radio-Canada)
Several charges have been laid in Ottawa over the past few months related to incidents toward members of the Jewish community.
In January, five charges were laid by Ottawa police against a 34-year-old accused of spray painting a series of antisemitic messages in multiple locations across the city.
Just last month, RCMP charged a youth in Ottawa with terrorist-related offences that allegedly targeted Jewish people.
And in November, Ottawa police arrested and charged a 29-year-old man with various hate-motivated offences after he allegedly made a threatening phone call to an Ottawa rabbi.
Online hate toward the Jewish community has also been alarming, Granovsky said, adding he'll be watching closely for the federal government's promised online harms bill, and hopes it has "some real teeth to it."
Hate crime unit seeing more assaults, criminal harassment
Since Oct. 7, Ottawa's hate crime unit has seen a larger than normal number of hate-related incidents being reported, said Toghrol.
Close to half of those incidents – around 45 per cent – are mischief including hate-motivated graffiti, with hateful symbols and slurs painted on various buildings or people's vehicles.
"The root cause of hate crimes and hate incidents is the lack of knowledge that people have." - Ali Toghrol, sergeant with Ottawa police's hate and bias crime unit
"But we've also unfortunately seen an increase in terms of the number of assaults and criminal harassment and just other criminal offences as well," Toghrol added.
Jewish, LGBTQ, Black, Muslim and Southeast Asian communities are the most targeted communities in Ottawa, Toghrol said.
Stereotypes, lack of knowledge driving hate
"The root cause of hate crimes and hate incidents is the lack of knowledge that people have," Toghrol said. "Not knowing one another, not trusting one another, having these stereotypical ideas of one another which creates hate and bias in the community."
Ali Toghrol, a sergeant with Ottawa police's hate and bias crime unit, says his unit has seen a rise in hate-motivated incidents including violent assault and criminal harassment. (Francis Ferland/Radio-Canada)
Toghrol said having programs to discuss hate within the community is essential, and can be a beneficial way of combating the spread of hateful rhetoric. With a "huge increase" of hate-related incidents at schools, Toghrol said he'd especially like to see more school-based programs.
"A lot of the false information that exists on the Internet has created these situations where students are being targeted based on their religion, their ethnicity, their culture, their sexual orientation, which shouldn't be happening anywhere, specifically in schools," he said.
Ontario's solicitor general Michael Kerzner was in Ottawa Monday, and announced the government is investing more than $1.7 million to address the root causes of hate and help reduce hate crimes.
The funding will be delivered through a grant program to community and not-for-profit organizations and First Nation Band Councils, who have to partner with their local police service.
