According to annual hate crime statistics released by the Toronto Police Service on Thursday, 82% of religion-motivated hate crimes in Toronto in 2025 targeted Jews, while 14% were anti-Muslim. The data reveals a 50% decrease in reported hate crimes in 2025 (231) compared to 2024 (443), but a 40% increase so far in 2026 compared to the same period last year. In 2023, there were 372 reported hate crimes.
Police Chief Highlights Ongoing Impact
Myron Demkiw, chief of the Toronto Police Service, stated, 'The harm caused by hate continues to be very concerning, particularly for communities that continue to be targeted most frequently. The data shows that Jewish, black and 2SLGBTQI+ communities remain most impacted, year after year.' He emphasized the department's commitment to confronting hate, noting that the Hate Crime Unit has been strengthened and a Counter-Terrorism Security Unit established.
Charges and Arrests
In 2025, there was a 37% decrease in criminal charges (217) compared to 2024, with 73 people arrested for hate crimes. Those arrested in 2025 were more likely to be charged (32%) than in 2024 (25%).
City Councilor Expresses Concern
Toronto City Councilor James Pasternak called the statistics 'sad and shocking but not all that surprising.' He warned, 'Our city is at an inflection point, where there lacks a unified and universal condemnation of hate and a joint effort to stop the incitement on the streets of Toronto and online. We need robust action in law enforcement and criminal justice.'
Advocacy Group Highlights Disparity
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) noted that Jews make up 3% of Toronto's population but are targets of 35% of all reported hate crimes. 'A Jewish Torontonian is now 14 times more likely to experience a hate incident than any other resident of Toronto,' CIJA stated. Michelle Stock, vice president for Ontario at CIJA, added, 'Toronto prides itself on being a city where people of all backgrounds can live openly, safely and without fear. Those values are undermined when any community no longer feels secure expressing its identity in public.'
