Antisemitic incidents across Canada surged to a record high of 6,800 in 2025, marking a nearly 10% increase from the previous year, according to the Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents released by B'nai Brith Canada. This alarming figure translates to an average of 18.6 incidents reported daily throughout the year, as highlighted by Aviva Klompas on social media. The report underscores a significant rise in anti-Jewish hatred, which advocacy groups describe as a national crisis.
The 6,800 incidents documented represent the highest number recorded since B'nai Brith began collecting data in 1982, up from 6,219 in 2024. Richard Robertson, B'nai Brith Canada's Director of Research and Advocacy, stated at a news conference, "We cannot allow antisemitism to be rendered into mere statistics that we grow numb to. There was an immense and tragic human cost to the 6,800 incidents recorded in 2025." He noted that the increase from 2022, prior to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, stands at a staggering 145.6%.
The majority of these incidents, approximately 91.9%, occurred online, reflecting a growing trend of digital antisemitism. Incidents ranged from acts of violence and harassment to vandalism, including physical assaults on visibly Jewish individuals, gunfire and arson attacks on synagogues and Jewish schools, and widespread Holocaust denial, sometimes amplified by artificial intelligence. While geopolitical tensions in the Middle East contributed to the surge, B'nai Brith emphasized that antisemitism has become increasingly normalized across Canadian society.
Geographically, Ontario experienced nearly half of all incidents with 3,194, a 79.2% increase from 2024, while British Columbia saw an increase of 26.2%. Quebec and Alberta, however, recorded decreases in incidents compared to their elevated numbers in 2024. In response to the growing crisis, B'nai Brith is advocating for tighter online regulation, enhanced police training, and a federal task force to combat hate.
The report also faced criticism from groups like Independent Jewish Voices, which argued that B'nai Brith's methodology "repeatedly blurs" the line between legitimate criticism of Israel and antisemitism. Despite differing views on definitions, advocacy groups and political leaders agree on the urgent need for action to address the pervasive nature of anti-Jewish hatred in Canada.
