Overview

• The provincial government has allocated $734,000 to expand the RCMP’s sole province-wide hate crimes unit from two to eight members.
• Five additional officers and one intelligence analyst will join the unit to strengthen investigations and ensure robust evidence gathering for court proceedings.
• Police-reported hate crimes in British Columbia rose 23% between 2022 and 2023, with religion-related incidents up 51% and sexual orientation–related incidents up 43%.
• This investment follows a federal $4 million anti-hate package in March that included more than $1 million for the Victoria Police Department and $270,000 for Saanich Police.
• Since its launch in May 2024, the province’s free racism helpline has logged about 600 calls by March 2025 to provide victims with advice and referrals.