Overall, there were 3,360 hate crimes of all motivations reported to police in 2021, up by 27 per cent, after a 35 per cent increase in 2020.
Reports of hate crime targeting East or Southeast Asians rose 16 per cent to 305 incidents in 2021, a level that is more than four times higher than it was in 2019.
Statistics Canada says community awareness and relations with police can influence whether incidents get reported at all, and just over one in five reported incidents result in charges being laid or recommended.
It says the victims and those accused of reported hate crimes are most often men and boys.
In Alberta, a total of 339 hate crimes were reported to police in 2021, up from 294 the year before. There were increases in incidents that were motivated by religion (91 in 2021, up from 30) and sexual orientation (43 in 2021, up from 39), while matters relating to race or ethnicity were down to 189 in 2021 from 213.
Statistics Canada said the Lethbridge Police Service received 10 reports of hate-motivated crimes in 2021, up from eight in 2020 and two in 2019. Lethbridge News Now has reached out to the police service for comments.
READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now
Read the full article here