Community-Based Hate Reporting Program
In response to recent high-profile hate activity in Durham, the Region of Durham has partnered with Victim Services of Durham Region (VSDR) to launch a Community-Based Hate Reporting Program—the first of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area.
Developed in consultation with human rights and religious organizations, as well as local community service providers, the program, which is being run by VSDR and offered in multiple languages, consists of:
- An online tool that allows individuals to securely and confidentially report incidents of hate—even those that do not meet the threshold of criminality.
- Access to wrap-around services, including immediate crisis response, counselling, practical assistance, and referrals for additional support.
- The program accepts both anonymous reporting and witness-submitted reports to enhance data collection, which will help inform future strategies and provide more accurate aggregate data to uncover trends and patterns of behaviour about hate incidents in Durham Region.
Report a hate incident
Did you know?
- Hate-motivated crimes/incidents in Durham Region increased by 77 per cent from 2023 to 2024.
- This program aligns with the Durham Regional Police Service Hate Crime Unit, offering an alternative for those may not be comfortable, or are unable to report directly to police.
- Research shows hate activity is significantly under-reported. According to Statistics Canada’s 2019 General Social Survey, Canadians self-reported over 223,000 hate-motivated incidents in one year, yet only 22 per cent were reported to police. Barriers to reporting include language challenges, fear of retaliation, normalization of hate, and uncertainty about where to report.
- Community-based hate reporting programs have been successfully implemented internationally and locally, including in Hamilton, Waterloo, Chatham-Kent, and Ottawa, but the program is the first of its kind in the Greater Toronto Area.
Frequently asked questions about the Community-Based Hate Reporting Program
| How can you define hate/hate speech/a hate incident? |
The concept of hate can feel different for everyone. What one person experiences as hateful may not feel the same to another. However, when it comes to legal standards, Canada uses specific definitions under the Criminal Code:
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Doesn’t the Canadian Criminal Code already have hate crime laws? |
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Yes, Canada’s Criminal Code includes provisions for hate-related offences such as hate propaganda (Sections 318 & 319), sentencing enhancements for hate-motivated crimes (Section 718.2), and hate-motivated mischief (Section 430). These laws exist to hold offenders accountable and maintain public safety. However, the Community-Based Hate Reporting Program serves a different purpose: it is victim-centered. Rather than focusing on enforcement, the program provides a safe, accessible way for individuals to report hate incidents online, including anonymously, and receive trauma-informed, culturally relevant support through Victim Services of Durham Region. This ensures that people impacted by hate receive care regardless of whether the incident meets the Criminal Code threshold for a criminal offence. |
| If I have a difference in opinion does that mean it’s a hate crime? |
| No, A difference in opinion is protected under Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which guarantees freedom of expression. A hate crime occurs when someone commits a criminal act motivated by bias or hatred toward an identifiable group (such as race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability…etc.). Simply disagreeing with someone does not meet that threshold. |
| Isn’t the Community-Based Hate Reporting tool just a snitch line? |
| The Community Based-Hate Reporting online reporting tool is not a snitch line. It’s an online platform designed to empower individuals to report hate incidents and provides an alternative for those are unwilling or unable to report directly to the police. Submissions are handled confidentially by Victim Services of Durham Region, who can provide post-incident trauma-informed support. The aim is to support individuals who have experienced or witnessed hate and improve community response. |
| Isn’t this program just persecuting people for their own thoughts and feelings? |
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No. The Community-Based Hate Reporting Program is designed as a support tool, not a mechanism for persecuting thoughts or feelings. Its purpose is to assist individuals who have experienced hateful incidents by providing trauma-informed care and improve community response. Police involvement only occurs if the person reporting through this program chooses to involve law enforcement. |
| What about free speech? |
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In Canada, freedom of expression is protected by Section 2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but it is not absolute. Under Section 1, rights can be reasonably restricted when justified. One of those limits is hate speech, as defined in the Criminal Code. Expression which rises to the level of detestation of vilification of an identifiable group can be lawfully restricted. |
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Doesn’t Durham Regional Police Service already deal with hate crimes? |
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Yes, the Durham Region Police Service (DRPS) responds to hate crimes through calls, emails, or emergency lines. The Community-Based Hate Reporting program provides an alternative for those are unwilling or unable to report directly to the police. The program was developed in partnership with local service providers, including DRPS, to ensure this anti-hate initiative aligns with others locally and helps improve our collective response to hate. |
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What is the difference between this program and Durham Regional Police Service’s Hate Crimes Unit? |
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The Community-Based Hate Reporting Program is designed as a community-centered, victim-focused initiative. It offers an online platform—including the option to report anonymously—that makes reporting hate incidents more accessible. Its primary goal is to provide comprehensive aftercare for individuals who have experienced or witnessed hate, including emotional support, trauma-informed counselling, safety planning, and culturally relevant referrals through Victim Services of Durham region. This ensures that the individuals impacted by hate receive care and resources, even if the incident does not meet the threshold for a criminal offence. The newly formed Hate Crime Unit at the Durham Regional Police Service collaborated with the project team and informed the development of the Community-Based Hate Reporting Program which provides an alternative for individuals who are unwilling or unable to report directly to the police. |
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Who paid for the Community-Based Hate Reporting Program |
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This program is being delivered in two phases. The Government of Canada is funding phase one and the Region of Durham is funding the second phase of this pilot program, underlining Durham Regional Council’s commitment to community safety and well-being. |
Taking a stand against hate in Durham Region
The Community-Based Hate Reporting Program builds on the Region’s other anti-hate initiatives, including Together Against Hate Durham, a three-phased campaign that launched in October 2025 and provides educational tools and resources so municipalities, organizations, institutions, and individuals can take meaningful action against hate in all its forms.
A Community Healing Toolkit is also being created for community leaders and ambassadors throughout Durham Region and offers trauma-informed and culturally affirming guidance for restoring well-being, healing and resilience following a traumatic incident.
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