City of Ottawa calling for residents to stand up against anti-Asian racism after spike in 2020

The City of Ottawa is launching an anti-Asian racism campaign, after a year in which reports of hate incidents targeting Asian residents spiked dramatically.

The Ottawa Police Service Hate and Bias Crime Unit received 15 reports of hate incidents against people of Asian descent in 2020, compared to two reports in 2019. The city says those numbers only reflect reported cases, with many going unreported. Members of Ottawa’s Asian community have reported being targets of verbal threats, intimidation and even physical attacks.

The city says anti-Asian racism previously existed in Ottawa, but the pandemic has created a new form of anti-Asian racism that links China and the novel coronavirus.

Its new campaign, which is spearheaded by Council Liaison for Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural Relations Rawlson King, sends the message that anti-Asian racism has no place in Ottawa and encourages all residents to be an ally and speak out against racism. 

“Ottawa’s welcoming and inclusive community is one of the things that makes our city a great place to live,” reads a city statement, Wednesday. “Ottawa’s population is made up of diverse residents from different cultures and backgrounds, all of whom contribute to our community’s vibrancy, prosperity and good quality of life. Ottawa’s Asian residents are an important part of our community, making numerous contributions to our city and helping make Ottawa vibrant and dynamic.”

Ottawa isn’t the only city in Canada experiencing a rise in anti-Asian racism. Data shows that assaults and verbal threats toward Asian-Canadians have grown significantly since the start of the pandemic. In addition to being called names and experiencing threats and intimidation, some Asian-Canadians report that they have needed to adjust their routines to avoid unpleasant encounters.

Residents can see the City of Ottawa's anti-Asian racism campaign on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.