We recognize that truly addressing hate starts with clear understanding. Within this section, we break down complex issues. From How We Define Hate Motivated behavior (as acts driven by bias against identity, not character), to the alarming Rise of Hate Motivated Acts (like the 32% increase in police-reported hate crimes in one year).
The ‘Anti-Hate Learning” page is included on our website because our mission at RAAH is rooted in community action. We believe that when public members are equipped with the facts, like about the systemic History of Hate in Canada, the cascading Impacts of these acts, and proactive strategies for Prevention, then they are empowered to help influence more inclusive and safe communities.
Topics on this page:
How We Define Hate Motivated
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At RAAH, we define hate-motivated acts as actions driven by a deep-seated hostility and opposition toward an individual or group. A critical distinction is that this hostility is not based on a person’s actions or character, but rather on their identity, such as their race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. This mindset is rooted in prejudice and stereotypes, leading to dehumanization that can incite discrimination, bias, and violence.
It’s crucial to understand that the motivation behind the act is bias, not necessarily a formal connection to a specific hate group. This means an act is considered hate-motivated if it is driven by this bias, regardless of who is performing the act.
Hate-motivated acts are identifiable by the use of specific language, slurs, and symbology. These elements can sometimes function as a “dog whistle,” using coded language or subtle symbols that are immediately understood by a specific group, while appearing innocuous to others. The presence of these indicators is key to determining the motivation behind an act, as they directly link the action to a foundation of bias and prejudice. In this context, “hate” refers specifically to bias or prejudice, rather than general anger or dislike.
For instance, hate-motivated vandalism goes beyond simple property damage by employing symbols of hate to send a message of intolerance and make a community less welcoming and inclusive.
Resources for Further Learning
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We encourage you to explore these resources for a deeper understanding of hate-motivated acts and the efforts to combat them.
Canadian Anti-Hate Network: A non-profit organization that monitors hate groups and provides information and resources.
The Canadian Anti-Hate Network (CAHN)
Understanding and Addressing Hate-Motivated Crime: Learn more from the RCMP about the differences between hate crimes and incidents.
RCMP – Understanding and addressing hate motivated crime
Exploring the Legal Aspects of Hate: A resource from the Department of Justice Canada on the legal framework surrounding hate crimes.
Government of Canada – Definition of Hate Crime
Database of Global Extremist Symbols: A database to help in the identification of symbols associated with hate groups.
Global Extremist Symbols Database
The Rise of Hate Motivated Acts
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In recent years, many communities have seen a concerning rise in hate-motivated acts, often fueled by online misinformation and political polarization. According to data, the number of police-reported hate crimes in Canada remains higher than the previous 10-year average. For instance, Halifax has ranked fifth in the country for its hate crime rate, reporting 121 hate crimes last year, and in 2023, police services in Canada recorded a sharp rise, with 4,777 incidents reported, marking a 32% increase from the previous year. It is also important to recognize that hate-motivated incidents, which do not meet the legal threshold for a criminal offense, are also on the rise. These can include the display of hate symbols or the use of offensive slurs that, while not criminal, still cause significant harm and make certain minority and religious groups feel unsafe in public spaces and in their homes. According to the General Social Survey on Canadians’ Safety, Canadians were victims of over 223,000 criminal incidents they perceived as being motivated by hate in one 12-month period, though only a fraction were reported to the police. This highlights that official statistics may not capture the full scope of the problem.
Sources:
Parliamentary Committee Notes: Rise in Hate Crimes
NS Human Rights Commission – Understanding Hate Crimes
Stats Canada – Police-reported hate crime in Canada, 2023
Who is responsible for hate motivated acts?
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Research has identified four types of hate crime offenders: thrill-seeking, reactive, retaliatory, and mission oriented. It is important to note that these categories are not always mutually exclusive and an individual may progress from one type to another over time.
While some acts are committed by individuals not formally associated with an organized group, others are perpetrated by hate groups. A group is classified as a hate group if the organization itself is characterized by and promotes a hate-based orientation or purpose. These groups operate in various ways, from online-only spaces to in-person interactions, and their structures can range from highly hierarchical to loosely affiliated. This makes it difficult to track their exact numbers, but estimates suggest a growing presence in Canada. Many of these groups are grounded in white supremacist ideology, but they also target immigrants, women, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, and other racialized and religious minority groups.
Sources:
Ingham, C., & Hayes, B. E. Hate Crime Series. Perpetrators of Hate Crimes
Levin, B., Nolan, J., & Perst, K. (2022). US hate crime trends. The Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology (1973-), 112(4), 749-800. U.S. Hate Crime Trends: What Disaggregation of Three Decades of Data…
Impacts of Hate Motivated Acts
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Hate-motivated acts cause significant harm that extends far beyond the immediate victim. Research shows that victims of hate crimes report feeling more anxious, fearful, and vulnerable than victims of comparable non-hate crimes. These acts are designed to send a message of intolerance to entire communities. By targeting one individual, they create “waves of harm” that reverberate through the victim’s community, reminding all members that they are vulnerable due to their identity. Members of vulnerable groups can also experience secondary victimization, which occurs when police or public officials minimize their experience or deny them services. This can lead to a sense of permanent victimization and alienation from the general population.
Sources:
Walters, Mark. 2021. Understanding the harms of hate crime. Accessed at: Understanding the harms of hate crime – International Hate Studies
Brunton-Smith, I., Jolliffe, D., & Garland, J. (2025). How does hate hurt more? National evidence for the varying emotional impacts of hate crime. European Journal of Criminology, 14773708251334266 . Article – How does hate hurt more? National evidence for the varying emotional impacts of hate crime
Walters, M. A., Paterson, J. L., & Brown, R. (2021). Enhancing punishment or repairing harms? Perceptions of sentencing hate crimes amongst members of a commonly targeted victim group. The British Journal of Criminology, 61(1), 61-84. Article – Angry and Afraid: Exploring the Impact of Mixed Emotional Reactions to Hate Crimes With LGBT+ and Muslim Communities
Understanding the History of Hate in Canada
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Hate-motivated acts in Canada are not a new phenomenon, but are rooted in a long history of systemic discrimination that is deeply embedded in our societal systems.
Anti-Indigenous and Systemic Hate
The history of Canada is intrinsically linked to the cultural genocide of Indigenous people and the systemic and calculated erasure of Indigenous identities. This systemic hate is reflected in policies that sought to assimilate, control, and dispossess Indigenous nations:
- Indian Act and Residential Schools: The Indian Act, established in 1876, legislated control over virtually all aspects of Indigenous life, and the federally funded Residential School system ripped children from their families and cultures. This was an act of deliberate cultural destruction, the devastating effects of which are still felt today.
- Land Theft and Resource Exploitation: Systemic practices facilitating the theft of Indigenous lands and the exploitation of resources continue to marginalize Indigenous communities and violate treaties.
Anti-Black Hate and Systemic Racism
Canada has a long history of Anti-Black racism that extends far beyond individual incidents, manifesting in systemic discrimination across institutions:
- Early Segregation and Slavery: Despite the common misconception of Canada as a haven for formerly enslaved people, slavery was legal in New France and British North America for over 200 years. Following abolition in 1834, segregation was officially sanctioned in many parts of the country, affecting schools, theaters, and immigration.
- Continued Systemic Barriers: Today, Anti-Black hate is visible in overrepresentation in the criminal justice system, persistent employment discrimination, and disparities in education and health outcomes, reflecting systems, bias, and microaggressions that continually harm Black Canadians.
Other Historical and Ongoing Systemic Discrimination
Beyond the profound impacts on Indigenous and Black communities, other minority groups have faced systemic and calculated hate:
- Racialized Laws (19th and Early 20th Centuries): Laws related to immigration, voters’ rights, and property rights were motivated by racial and other prejudices against Chinese, Japanese, and other Asian communities. Examples include the Chinese Head Tax and the internment of Japanese Canadians during World War II.
- Immigration Discrimination: Immigration policies overtly discriminated against non-European and non-white groups, shaping the demographics of Canada through racial exclusion.
Despite the introduction of the Multiculturalism Act in 1971 and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Canada is not immune to racism and other forms of discrimination. Policies and laws for hate crimes are not always enforced, and many minority groups consistently deal with non-criminal hate incidents and micro-aggressions that are not formally reported.
Sources:
Forced Migration In/to Canada: From Colonization to Refugee Resettlement (2024). Book – Forced Migration in/to Canada
Book – The Politics of Racism: The Uprooting of Japanese Canadians During the … – Ann Gomer Sunahara
Richmond, C. A., & Cook, C. (2016). Creating conditions for Canadian aboriginal health equity: the promise of healthy public policy. Public Health Reviews, 37(1), 2. Article – Creating conditions for Canadian aboriginal health equity: the promise of healthy public policy
DasGupta, Nan, Vinay Shandal, Daniel Shadd, and Andrew Segal. “The pervasive reality of anti-Black racism in Canada.” BCG Insights (2020): 1-15. The Pervasive Reality of Anti-Black Racism in Canada
Government of Canada – Hate Crimes in Canada
How do we prevent hate motivated acts?
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Proactively working to prevent hate-motivated acts is the most effective way to stem the tide of hate crimes and incidents. Prevention efforts can help to mitigate the immense harm they cause to victims, their communities, and society more generally . A key framework for this is Canada’s Action Plan on Combating Hate (CAPCH), which is built on three pillars:
Empowering communities to prevent hate: Providing communities with the tools and knowledge to address hatred at a local level.
Supporting victims and affected communities: Ensuring those impacted by hate-motivated acts receive the necessary support and resources.
Building community trust, partnerships and institutional readiness: Fostering collaboration between communities and institutions to effectively address hate.
Building capacity for prevention requires ongoing community engagement and proactive strategies to identify and address issues before they escalate.
Sources:
Martin, J. (2020). Eliminate Hate: Hate Crimes and Hate Speech in Canada. The Journal of Intelligence, Conflict, and Warfare, 3(1), 33-46. Eliminate Hate | The Journal of Intelligence, Conflict, and Warfare
Scrivens, R., & Perry, B. (2017). Resisting the right: Countering right-wing extremism in Canada. Canadian Journal of Criminology and criminal justice, 59(4), 534-558. Resisting the Right: Countering Right-Wing Extremism in Canada
Rural Artists Against Hate 