Canada Introduces New Hate Crime Legislation Targeting Symbols and Protecting Institutions

New Legislation Introduced

The Liberal government in Canada has introduced new legislation aimed at combating hate crimes, establishing four new hate-related criminal offenses. Justice Minister Sean Fraser announced the bill on Friday, September 19, 2025, outlining measures designed to protect identifiable groups and their places of gathering.

Criminalizing Hate Symbols

A key component of the new bill is the criminalization of wilfully promoting hate through the use of specific symbols. This designation will apply to two prominent Nazi symbols—the swastika and the SS bolt—as well as symbols associated with designated terrorist entities. Minister Fraser clarified that this is not intended as a 'blanket ban' on particular symbols, emphasizing that any prosecution would involve a 'fact-dependent analysis' based on the specifics of each instance. The maximum penalty for this offense would be two years in prison.

Protecting Religious and Community Institutions

The legislation also introduces new criminal offenses for obstruction and intimidation. These measures are specifically designed to protect places of worship and other institutions, including schools, daycares, and seniors' residences, that primarily serve identifiable groups. The government's background documents indicate that 'intimidation' could encompass threats, acts of violence, or other intimidating behavior, while 'obstruction' might include deliberately blocking doors, driveways, or roads. The maximum penalty for these obstruction and intimidation offenses would be 10 years in prison, with lesser offenses carrying a maximum of just under two years.

Broader Hate Crime Provisions

Beyond specific symbols and institutional protection, the bill creates a new category of hate crime. This new offense would be 'layered on top of existing offenses' and would apply in cases where a crime was motivated by hate towards the victim. This provision aims to increase the maximum amount of jail time for individuals found guilty of an underlying offense when it is determined to be hate-motivated. Minister Fraser stated that the bill seeks to 'ensure those who gather to practise their faith at religious institutions, schools, community centres and other buildings and structures that primarily serve identifiable communities will have the ability to do so freely and without fear that they will be targeted because of who they are.' He also affirmed that the legislation 'goes to great lengths to specifically protect the ability of Canadians to take part in peaceful protests.'