Hate crimes climb in Halifax amid growing social divisions

Hate crimes are on the rise in Halifax and across Nova Scotia, with 2023 marking a significant increase in police-reported incidents, and police say the true number is likely even higher.

Data presented to Halifax’s board of police commissioners this week last showed 121 hate crimes were reported in the city last year, up from 72 in 2022. A decade ago, just seven such crimes were documented. That places Halifax fifth among Canadian cities for the highest hate crime rates, with 23 incidents per 100,000 people.

Provincially, Nova Scotia topped the national chart with the highest rate of hate crimes per capita in 2023: 18 per 100,000 people. These figures reflect a trend seen across Canada, where hate crimes rose by 32 per cent between 2022 and 2023, continuing a four-year upward trajectory.

But officials say the reality is likely worse.

“What we’re seeing is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Const. Madeleine Goldsmith, Halifax Regional Police’s diversity and inclusion officer. Many victims, she explained, choose not to report hate crimes due to fear of retaliation, mistrust of police, or a sense that the abuse they experience is simply part of daily life.

“People don’t realize what they’ve experienced even qualifies as a hate crime,” Goldsmith noted. “They’ve been subjected to it so often, they’ve become numb.”

Race continues to be the most common motivation behind hate crimes in Halifax, particularly targeting Black, South Asian, and Arab or West Asian communities. Xenophobia, hatred directed at actual or perceived newcomers, is the second-most reported motivator, followed by sexual orientation, religion, and gender.

Across Canada, religiously motivated hate crimes typically rank higher than in Halifax, where they appear less frequently in the data.

Beyond individual impact, Goldsmith stressed the ripple effect these crimes have on entire communities. Something as simple as hate-motivated graffiti, she said, can cause widespread fear among people who identify with the targeted group. Yet only 14 of the 121 hate crime cases in Halifax last year resulted in charges, a reflection of the difficulty in identifying perpetrators or securing evidence.

Councillor Tony Mancini voiced frustration over the normalization of hate. “It’s unacceptable that people experience so much discrimination they stop reporting it,” he said.

Goldsmith pointed to broader political shifts. including statements from public figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump, as factors that embolden hate groups. She said members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, in particular, have reported increased anxiety amid heightened anti-diversity rhetoric. She also noted that changes to immigration policy in Canada last year left some international students feeling isolated and more vulnerable.

Between 2022 and 2024, Halifax police and RCMP recorded 742 hate incidents, which differ from hate crimes in that they may not meet the threshold for criminal charges but still involve bias-motivated behavior, such as slurs or verbal harassment. Most of these incidents occurred in Halifax’s urban core.

“Social polarization is fuelling these numbers,” Goldsmith said. “As national and global tensions rise, so do acts of hate.”

Halifax police created a dedicated hate crime unit in 2022. It currently has one officer, with a second set to join later this year. Authorities hope targeted enforcement and community outreach will help push back against a troubling trend that shows no signs of slowing.

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  Halifax-Nova-Scotia