Antisemitism in Canada has escalated to unprecedented levels, according to B’nai Brith Canada’s latest Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents. The report documents 6,219 incidents in 2024, marking a 7.4% increase from the 5,791 cases reported in 2023.
This surge reflects a 124.6% increase from 2022 to 2024, averaging about 17 incidents per day in 2024—up from eight daily incidents in 2022. Notably, in-person harassment cases rose by approximately 58.8% during this period.
Regional Breakdown of Antisemitic Incidents in 2024:
- Quebec: 1,651 incidents (215.7% increase)
- Ontario: 1,782 incidents (25.8% decrease)
- Prairies: 447 incidents (33.4% increase)
- British Columbia: 671 incidents (44.3% increase)
- Alberta: 916 incidents (160.2% increase)
- Atlantic Canada: 179 incidents (53% increase)
The report attributes the rise in antisemitic incidents to factors such as the Israel-Hamas conflict and related campus unrest. Notable incidents include:
- In May, an arson attempt targeted the Schara Tzedeck Synagogue in Vancouver during evening prayers.
- Also in May, shots were fired at a Jewish girls’ school in Toronto, which was subsequently targeted twice more that year.
- In November, anti-Israel protesters in Montreal chanted antisemitic slogans outside a synagogue, defying a court order.
Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Research and Advocacy, emphasized the severity of the situation:
“The atrocities of Oct. 7, 2023, opened deep fissures in Canadian society. The subsequent rise in antisemitism has exposed a disturbing undercurrent of Jew-hatred driven by a virulent, radicalized minority.” B’nai Brith Canada
B’nai Brith Canada urges immediate action to address these alarming trends and protect Jewish communities nationwide.