Ending hate crimes in Toronto

Our city is the world in microcosm. Toronto’s diversity was hard-won: today it is unrivalled and precious. Yet for over three years, Toronto’s Jewish community — one of the world’s largest — has suffered a relentless barrage of hate crimes.

“‘Diversity Our Strength’ has been the motto of our amalgamated city since 1998. That civic ethos formed me and millions of other Torontonians. All Torontonians must be able to live, travel and work free of intimidation.”

Antisemitic hate crimes have risen sharply since 2022. The figures below are Toronto Police Service data for 2025, and they are the reason this paper exists.

82%

of religiously-motivated hate crimes in Toronto targeted Jews2025, Toronto Police Service data

40%

of all hate crimes in Toronto were antisemitic2025, Toronto Police Service data

4%

of Toronto’s population is JewishFor comparison against the figures above

1. 01

   Enforcing existing laws

   The Criminal Code already carries provisions on hate propaganda, hate-motivated crime and terrorism, strengthened further by the Combatting Hate Act. The gap is not in the law but in how consistently it is applied.

   As mayor, Chris would advocate robust enforcement of those provisions — specifically against hate-motivated demonstrations and hate speech that intimidate Jewish neighbourhoods, target institutions, or disrupt traffic.

2. 02

   Strengthening cooperation

   Reinforce inter-agency cooperation with Toronto Police Service to prevent threats or acts of violence enabled by foreign actors, engaging relevant partners across all levels of government.

3. 03

   Jewish students

   Engage the leadership of every post-secondary institution where credible reports of intimidation or violence against Jewish students have been made.

   Where that has happened, make public statements explaining that antisemitism violates both Canadian law and the civic obligations a university owes its students — so that Jewish students are safe on campus and know they are welcome there.

4. 04

   Hate crime reporting and accountability

   Work with the TPS Hate Crimes Unit to improve reporting, so that trends are identified early enough to act on rather than confirmed in hindsight.

   Better reporting is also what makes victim support services reach the people who need them.

5. 05

   Steering group

   Convene a standing group of city, community, law enforcement and public safety experts to guide Toronto’s efforts to end this crisis — and to prevent hate being directed at any group in future.

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