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The number of charges laid by Peel Regional Police in hate crime cases nearly doubled last year, according to a report published by the police service board, prompting the force to establish a dedicated hate crime unit to strengthen investigations and victim support.
The announcement, made Oct. 6 in a Peel Regional Police press release, said the new hate crime unit will enhance support for the victims and increase coordination across the service. The team will operate under the community safety and well-being bureau, working alongside the cross-functional support team to lead investigations and respond to incidents involving religious institutions, cultural centres, and socio-geopolitical tensions.
“We understand that hate crimes are vastly underreported by our community for a variety of different reasons,” said Deputy Chief Mark Dapat in an interview with On The Record. Dapat oversees community safety and well-being for Peel Regional Police. “It brings focus and expertise to the forefront of a crime that impacts the community, which enables our officers to be specialized.”
Community advocates say the unit’s creation reflects long-standing demands for institutional accountability. The Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA) has emphasized that tackling hate crimes demands ongoing advocacy and equity-focused groups to push for greater recognition of systemic racism within policing and public institutions.
“From our perspective, the creation of this dedicated Hate Crime Unit reflects, at least in part, the impact of sustained community pressure, and it’s a sign that the voices of grassroots organizations are finally beginning to influence institutional change,” said Ridah Asghar, director of development at CASSA.
The 2024 annual hate-motivated crime report found that of 53,685 criminal code offences, only 166 (0.31 per cent) were identified as hate-motivated, a figure unchanged from 2023. Yet, charges were laid in 45 per cent of cases (2024), up sharply from 22 per cent in the previous year.
Annual Hate-Motivated Crimes by AmulyaaA graph showing Annual Hate-Motivated Crimes. (Source:2024 Hate-Motivated Crime Report)
“They [people] don’t know the difference between what a hate crime is and what a hate incident might be,” Dapat said. According to the Peel Region Police, a hate-motivated crime is any criminal offence motivated by bias, prejudice or hate towards an identifiable group, while a hate incident refers to non-criminal behaviour motivated by similar bias or prejudice.
The report highlights that 48 per cent of hate-motivated crimes involved violence or threats, with mischief (42 per cent) and uttering threats (23 per cent) being the most common offences. Race and nationality-based hate crimes increased from 86 (2023) to 98 (2024) incidents, while religion-related offences dropped to 62, and those motivated by sexual orientation decreased to 22.
Dapat said the new unit will improve how officers respond to victims, allowing them to provide more culturally responsive support and act fast, not just to solve crimes, but to prevent future crimes.
“Because it’s all about effective programs that are efficient, but also strengthening our relationship with our community and building even more community trust,” he said.
Hate-Motivated Crimes by Type Graph by AmulyaaA graph showing Hate-Motivated Crimes by Type.(Source: 2024 Hate-Motivated Crime Report)
“It’s very good to hear Peel police are creating this unit,” said Noor Fadel, National Anti-Hate manager at CASSA and lead of the South Asian Social Justice Network in B.C. Fadel said her personal experience as a hate crime survivor shapes her advocacy work. In 2017, while on her way from work in Vancouver, Fadel was verbally and physically assaulted on public transit by a man who targeted her for wearing a hijab. The attacker threatened to kill her and other muslims before striking her across the face in a crowded train. “Everyone was just looking and not saying anything,” she recalled. “It wasn’t until one man ran over, pushed the attacker off me, and I managed to take a few photos before he got off at the next station, that’s when I called 911.”
Fadel said the launch of Peel’s hate crime unit is a necessary step because of how many victims or witnesses to hate crimes don’t know what resources are available to them.
For Dapat, the goal extends beyond policing; he said the new hate crime unit is part of a broader effort to strengthen relationships with the community and provide education on hate-motivated offences. The unit aims to foster trust, ensuring residents feel supported and confident that the police are responsive and invested in their safety when incidents occur.
“We trust that the police are the people that we’re gonna call that are gonna help us. That’s ultimately what we’re trying to accomplish,” said Dapat.
No AI tools were used in the production of this piece.
