Reported hate crimes drop in Ottawa

04-Feb-2026

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Ottawa police say they received 358 reports of hate crimes in 2025, down from the previous two years but still much higher than the previous decade.

Ninety-five incidents were ultimately considered hate-motivated, police said on February 3, which could mean harsher penalties if the accused is found guilty.

A total of 263 of these reports were ultimately considered to be criminal.

The number of hate crime reports to Ottawa police quadrupled from 116 in 2019 to 460 in 2023.

In 2024, the number was essentially stable before dropping this past year.