Police reported 1,414 hate crimes in 2012, Statistics Canada says

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says police reported 1,414 hate-motivated criminal incidents in 2012, 82 more than in 2011.

The agency says just over half of all such crimes in 2012 were motivated by hatred toward a race or ethnicity.

It says 30 per cent were motivated by hatred towards a particular religion, including hate crimes targeting Jews, Muslims and Catholics.

Another 13 per cent of incidents were motivated by sexual orientation, while the remaining six per cent were motivated by language, mental or physical disability, sex, age or some other characteristic, such as occupation or political belief.

Among hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity, black populations were the most frequently targeted, with 21 per cent of incidents aimed at them.

In crimes motivated by religious hatred, Jewish populations were the most common target, with 17 per cent of all incidents directed at them.