Canada’s federal government has launched an extensive action plan to combat the rise in hate incidents, as announced by the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion, and Persons with Disabilities, Kamal Khera. The latest strategy brings together 20 federal programs under a comprehensive framework aimed at addressing the increasing number of hate-related incidents across the country.
Central to the initiative is the creation of a “Combatting Hate: Community Information Resource Hub” in 2025, established by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF), which aims to provide valuable resources and information to communities impacted by hate. The plan includes a financial commitment of $273.6 million over six years and $29.3 million in ongoing funding, focusing on multiple aspects from enhancing support for victims to strengthening law enforcement resources (full plan details).
The initiative is structured around three primary pillars: empowering communities to identify and prevent hate, supporting victims and survivors while building community trust, and fostering partnerships and institutional readiness. This approach involves collaborations with provincial, territorial, and international governments, First Nations communities, and designated representatives focused on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism and Islamophobia.
Prior to the roll-out of this comprehensive strategy, the Canadian Heritage Ministry faced some criticism for its consultation process, with claims that dissenting opinions were systematically excluded. Nonetheless, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc emphasized the necessity of the strategy given the alarming increase in hate crimes, pointing to recent incidents such as bomb threats targeting Jewish institutions and hospitals and the surge in hate crimes reported by the Ottawa Police Service Hate and Bias Crime Unit and Toronto police (detailed report).