Ottawa police see 4% decrease in hate crime reporting
Posted Jan 29, 2025 12:31:56 PM.
Last Updated Jan 29, 2025 04:27:50 PM.
Fewer people reported hate crimes in the nation’s capital last year according to data from the Ottawa Police Service.
In 2024 there were 461 incidents — 351 criminal and 116 hate-motivated — police dealt with compared to 487 the year before. This is a 4 per cent drop in incidents. While this might seem like a positive thing, police warn that these types of incidents are “extremely underreported.”
Of the incidents investigated in 2024, police charged 54 people with 190 criminal offences, including one formal hate crime charge under the Criminal Code of Canada for public incitement of hatred. On top of that, seven youths were issued warnings.
OPS describe a hate crime as “a criminal offence committed against a person or property motivated by hate/bias or prejudice based on race, national or ethnic origin, disability, sexual orientation, or other similar factors.”
Mischief to property and threats were the top two things officers looked into, followed by assault, harassing communication and assault causing bodily harm.
These are the most victimized groups in Ottawa, police data shows:
- Jewish ( 113)
- 2SLGBTQ+ (54 reported incidents)
- Black (54 reported incidents)
- Muslim (18 reported incidents)
- Chinese (18 reported incidents)
Police note the above groups are defined by Statistics Canada.
Jewish people were also the most victimized in 2023. Police noted that 2023’s numbers were a jump of 19.5 per cent increase from 2022.
Officials are urging people to report hate crimes or possible incidents to Ottawa Police by calling 613-236-1222, ext. 7300 or online.
