Hate-Motivated and Bias-Motivated Crime

Peel Regional Police is committed to ensuring a safe and inclusive community for everyone. All front-line officers and investigators are trained to effectively respond to hate-motivated criminal offences.

To strengthen our response to our communities, we’ve centralized a Hate Crime Unit (HCU) and Cross-Functional Support Team (CFST).

The HCU & CFST will lead investigations across the organization, focusing on hate-motivated incidents, all occurrences involving religious institutions and cultural centres, and incidents stemming from socio/geopolitical tensions. The HCU and CFST will also provide reassurance to individuals affected by hate.

Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Unit works closely with these teams, providing support to the broader community and serving as a resource for education and community engagement. Together, they help ensure that Peel Regional Police delivers a comprehensive and inclusive response to hate-motivated incidents.

For general information, please contact:

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Bureau: 905-453-2121 at ext. 3605
Hate Crime Unit & Cross Functional Support Team: 905-453-2121 at ext. 6098

What is a hate-motivated crime vs. hate incident?

In Canada, the term “hate crime” is not used in the Criminal Code. Instead, the law includes some specific offences under the category of hate propaganda in Sections 318 and 319:

Hate Crime

A hate crime is a criminal act against a person or property that is motivated, in whole or in part, by hate, bias, or prejudice. This includes any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or mental or physical disability.

Example – A graffiti with hateful symbols or messages, or damage to property motivated by hate.

If you have been a victim of a hate crime

Call 911 if there is immediate danger and the crime is in progress.
For non-emergency related crimes, call 905-453-3311.

Hate Incident

A hate incident involves biased or prejudiced behavior that does not meet the threshold of a criminal offence. These incidents may include hateful overtones but cannot be proven to be motivated by hate or bias under the law.

Example – A neighbor makes a racially offensive remark during an argument, but no criminal offence occurs

If you have been a victim of a hate incident

For non-emergency related incidents, call 905-453-3311 or Report Online.

Peel Regional Police treats all reported crimes with the utmost seriousness and ensures that every investigation is conducted thoroughly, utilizing all appropriate resources and expertise.

Legal process and other considerations

In order for police to lay a criminal charge, there are two things that must first occur:

A criminal offence must have occurred (e.g. an assault, damage to property, uttering threats etc.).
Hate or Bias toward a victim must have motivated the criminal offence (i.e. any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or mental or physical disability)

Before laying hate-motivated or bias-motivated criminal charges, police are required to conduct a through investigation and then turn the file over to the local Crown Attorney's Office, including obtaining consent from the Attorney General's Office.

Following are the Criminal Code charges that require consent before charges are laid:

Section 318 – Advocating Genocide.
Section 319 (2) – Wilful Promotion of Hatred.
Section 319(2.1) – Wilful Promotion of Antisemitism

Note: Hate motivation is an aggravating factor on sentencing pursuant to section 718.2(a)(i) of the Code:

Evidence that the offence was motivated by bias, prejudice or hate based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity or expression, or on any other similar factor