Inspector General Memo #11: Notice of Issue – Increase in Antisemitism and Hate Motivated Incidents
| TO: |
All Chiefs of Police and Commissioner Thomas Carrique, C.O.M. Chairs, Police Service Boards
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| FROM: |
Ryan Teschner, Inspector General of Policing of Ontario
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| DATE: | July 14, 2026 |
| SUBJECT: |
Inspector General Memo #11: Notice of Issue – Increase in Antisemitism and Hate Motivated Incidents
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Under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA), the Inspector General of Policing has a duty to monitor and advise on the delivery of adequate and effective policing in Ontario, including taking steps, where necessary, to support compliance with the CSPA and its regulations.
As part of this role, I have established the Notice of Issue as a mechanism to identify and call attention to issues relating to the delivery of policing and police governance that, if left unaddressed, could negatively impact community safety and public confidence in policing. It is intended to support early awareness and action by police services and police service boards and to promote alignment with the requirements of the CSPA and its regulations.
I am using this mechanism for the first time to highlight a sustained increase in hate‑motivated incidents across Ontario, including a significant and disproportionate rise in incidents motivated by antisemitism. Crime data and sector information indicate a marked increase in hate‑motivated incidents in recent years, with Jewish communities remaining the most frequently targeted group nationally. In Ontario, these incidents have escalated in some cases to include more serious criminal activity. Additionally, the Inspectorate of Policing (IoP) has received complaints of antisemitic hate-motivated incidents occurring in the context of public protests.
I want to acknowledge the considerable work already undertaken by police services and boards across Ontario to respond to the rise in antisemitic hate‑motivated incidents. This work has been carried out under challenging and often evolving circumstances, including the impacts of broader geopolitical events that have heightened tensions within communities. It has required the sustained commitment of resources and personnel, often under significant operational pressure. I also want to recognize the ongoing engagement with Jewish communities. These efforts are essential to strengthening responses, supporting those most affected, and maintaining public trust and confidence in policing.
Engagement with the Sector
Given the significance of this issue, I have taken a number of steps as part of my statutory monitoring and advisory role, including requiring several police services and boards to provide data to support an analysis of current responses to antisemitic hate‑motivated incidents. This work has been supplemented by a review, conducted by the Inspectorate of Policing’s Centre for Data Intelligence and Innovation, of external data sources and relevant research to identify key trends, challenges, and leading practices.
Building on this foundation, on June 15, I convened a meeting with chiefs of police and police service board chairs from 14 police services serving communities with significant Jewish populations. The meeting also included the Commissioner of the Ontario Provincial Police, representatives from the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and Police Governance Ontario, and Jewish and community organizations.
The discussion focused on how police services and boards are, and have been, responding to the rise in antisemitic hate‑motivated incidents that are targeting Jewish communities, informed by data and insights gathered through the IoP’s ongoing monitoring work. This included consideration of the appropriate use of available legal authorities—such as Criminal Code provisions, provincial offences, and municipal by‑laws—to address conduct that threatens persons, property, and public order.
Participants also shared approaches to crime prevention, public order policing, and intelligence and information sharing, as well as strategies to support victims and strengthen engagement with impacted communities. The meeting provided an opportunity to identify actions and practices that are proving effective, and also identify those that can enhance the policing response to hate‑motivated incidents, taking into account local needs and circumstances.
This engagement, together with ongoing monitoring and analysis, will continue to inform the IoP’s work in this area.
Expectations of Police Services and Boards and Next Steps
I recognize that police services and boards have taken meaningful steps to respond to the sustained rise in antisemitic hate-motivated incidents, including reallocating resources and implementing new measures. This work is important and should continue. At the same time, the current environment requires sustained attention to ensure that policing remains adequate and effective, consistent across the sector, and responsive to the needs of affected communities.
Police services and police service boards are expected to review the Notice of Issue and take its findings and identified actions into account in their operational and governance decisions. The Inspectorate of Policing will continue to monitor this matter and will look to collect data and information in the future to evaluate how the actions in the Notice of Issue have been implemented.
In terms of next steps, I am grateful to the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and Police Governance Ontario for agreeing to play a role in supporting police services and boards in making the ongoing implementation of these actions a priority, including coordinating a consistent approach to implementation, while recognizing the need for local variation where appropriate.
If you have any questions or require further information, please contact your IoP Police Service Advisor.
I appreciate the work already underway and your continued engagement.
Sincerely,
Ryan Teschner
Inspector General of Policing of Ontario
c: Mario Di Tommaso, O.O.M.
Deputy Solicitor General, Community Safety
Encl: Notice of Issue