Ottawa, ON - Department of Justice Canada
"As hate continues to rise in Canada, communities have been calling for stronger protections against hate crimes. Those protections are now law," said the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
The Combatting Hate Act (Bill C-9) received Royal Assent yesterday, delivering on the Government of Canada's commitment to strengthen protections for communities being made to feel afraid because of who they are, how they worship, or where they gather. The provisions will come into force on July 18, 2026.
These stronger protections make it a crime to intimidate or obstruct people from accessing places where communities gather, including places of worship, schools, and community centres. They also strengthen how the Criminal Code addresses hate-motivated crime and the public display of certain terrorism and hate symbols.
Protecting access to community spaces
People now have stronger protections from intimidation and obstruction when accessing places where communities gather. More specifically, the changes:
- Make it a crime to intimidate and obstruct people from accessing places of worship, as well as schools, community centres and other places primarily used by an identifiable group
Strengthening hate crime laws
Law enforcement now has stronger tools to respond to hate-motivated crime and protect our communities. More specifically, the changes:
- Make hate-motivated crime a specific offence, ensuring such conduct is more clearly denounced and that offenders are held accountable
- Define "hatred" to clarify what conduct constitutes a hate crime in the Criminal Code
- Make it a crime to wilfully promote hatred against an identifiable group by displaying certain terrorism or hate symbols in public, namely symbols principally used by or associated with listed terrorist entities under the Criminal Code, two Nazi symbols, or a noose
Freedom of expression and religion remain protected under the Charter
These protections were shaped by extensive consultations, parliamentary study, and close collaboration with faith groups, community leaders, law enforcement, and partners across the country. This law targets criminal behaviour that intimidates people, obstructs access to community spaces, or wilfully promotes hatred, making clear where the line is drawn. More specifically, the law does not:
- criminalize religious teaching
- restrict the ability to preach, read scripture, or practice religion
- ban peaceful protest or political advocacy
- create "bubble zones" or
- criminalize opinions, disagreement, or criticism
A strong Canada means strong protections for our communities and a Criminal Code that responds to emerging threats, protects victims of crime, and keeps our kids safe. With these stronger hate crime protections now law, the Government of Canada is continuing its broader work to strengthen the Criminal Code, support the front lines, and invest in long-term prevention to help build safer communities.
