Province expands RCMP hate crimes unit amid rise in incidents across B.C.

CBC

a day ago

The B.C. government is expanding the province's hate crimes unit within the RCMP, citing a surge in hate-motivated incidents across the province.
Public Safety Minister Garry Begg announced more than $734,000 in new funding Friday to expand the B.C. RCMP hate crimes team.
The unit, which previously had two officers, will grow to a team of eight with the addition of five new officers and an intelligence analyst.
Begg says the funding aims to ensure that Canada's only dedicated provincial hate crimes unit has the resources to investigate incidents more thoroughly and support victims.
"Places of worship have been vandalized, treaty offices have been defaced, and innocent people have been targeted while going about their daily activities," Begg told reporters during the Friday news conference.
"Hate has no place in British Columbia."
The funding is part of a larger $230-million investment over three years into the provincial police service announced in 2022 to increase RCMP staffing across B.C.
Begg says while the current funding is intended to support the team for one year, it will be increased as the need grows.
According to provincial data, police-reported hate crimes in B.C. rose by 23 per cent from 2022 to 2023. Religion-based hate crimes increased by more than 50 per cent, while hate crimes based on sexual orientation were up 43 per cent.
"Demand for expertise offered by the B.C. Hate Crime Team has been growing," Chief Supt. Elija Rain, head of the RCMP's Major Crime Section in B.C.
"Our team currently reviews more than 100 files per week that may have a nexus to hate," he said, calling the expansion the most significant boost to the unit since its inception in 1996.
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"This funding will not just make our team larger, but more effective and more efficient … allowing us to be more proactive, responsive and intelligence driven than ever before."
Rain said the team also plays a key role in training officers across B.C., building partnerships with community and faith-based groups, and providing expert testimony to strengthen cases in court.
Community groups welcome support
Ana Maria Bustamante, who works with Burnaby Together, a coalition of community groups that advocates against hate and racism, said the added police resources are a welcome step, especially for a city as diverse as Burnaby.
"Burnaby is the second most diverse municipality in B.C.," she said, noting that more than two-thirds of residents identify as visible minorities.
"We've been hearing far too many hurtful stories that shouldn't be happening."
Bustamante said the expanded hate crimes unit can help improve safety and restore trust in vulnerable communities.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver also praised the move, calling it a "critical investment" at a time when the community is facing a rise in antisemitism.
According to the organization, 62 per cent of Jewish British Columbians have experienced at least one antisemitic incident since the Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel.
"It's a difficult experience for any British Columbian to be a victim of a hate crime," said Ezra Shanken, CEO of the federation, in a statement. "But knowing there's a specialized unit with the resources and expertise to respond in a timely and effective way makes a real difference."
Broader efforts underway: province
In addition to provincial funding, Public Safety Canada is providing $4 million to B.C. through the Shift B.C. program, a federally funded initiative aimed at preventing radicalized violence and improving hate-crime reporting.
That money, the province says, is being used to support police agencies and non-profits across B.C.—including departments in Surrey, Vancouver and Victoria to "counter hate, improve training and address public safety concerns."
Jessie Sunner, B.C.'s parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives, said the province recognizes that not all survivors of hate incidents feel comfortable engaging with police. That's why, she said, the government launched the Racist Incident Helpline last year.
"Since its launch over a year ago, more than 800 phone calls have been made," said Sunner. "[They] are receiving support tailored to their needs, such as legal aid, crisis intervention, counselling and peer support."
Rain, with the RCMP, says there is still work to do to improve trust and encourage reporting.
"Hate crimes remain underreported," he said. "But we're committed to working with communities, building partnerships, and ensuring every British Columbian feels safe and protected."