Hate crimes in Toronto rose 19% in 2024, but are decreasing this year: police
Most frequent targets of hate crimes were Jewish, LGBTQ+, Black and Muslim communities, police say
Toronto police say reported hate crimes increased by 19 per cent in 2024, but have significantly dropped so far this year.
The annual hate crime report to the Toronto Police Service Board says 443 incidents were reported last year compared to 372 in 2023, marking a slower rate of increase in hate crimes reported between 2023 and 2024.
The report says that so far this year, there has been a 47 per cent decrease in reported hate crimes compared to the same time last year.
But police say hate crimes are still a serious concern as many of them are underreported.
Police say 115 people were charged with hate-motivated offences in 2024, an 84 per cent increase compared to the year before.
They say 209 hate-motivated criminal charges were laid in 2024, up from 156 charges in 2023.
The most frequent targets of hate crimes were the Jewish, LGBTQ+, Black and Muslim communities, police said.
"The report also identified a notable increase in hate crimes targeting the South Asian community, rising from 14 in 2023 to 41 in 2024," police said in a news release.
Streets and public transit were the most common locations for reported hate crimes in Toronto and police say they have partnered with the Toronto Transit Commission to address the issue with several educational campaigns.