We, the undersigned, urge the Government of Canada to increase funding for temples to enhance security, improve community outreach, and foster interfaith harmony in response to rising hate crimes and vandalism.

Background: Hate crimes against religious institutions, including Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist temples, as well as Churches and Synagogues have sadly increased significantly in recent years. These sacred spaces, serving as cultural and community hubs, are vulnerable to hate, vandalism, and violence. Police-reported hate crimes rose by over 80% between 2019 and 2023.

Recent incidents include vandalism and graffiti at temples across Canada 1.Our Request: We respectfully urge the Government of Canada to:

• Increase funding for security infrastructure through programs like the Security Infrastructure Program (SIP).
• Foster relationships between temples and law enforcement to improve incident reporting and protection.
• Support education and pluralism programs to promote Canadian values of pluralism and religious freedom.
• Promote interfaith harmony and dialogue among various religious institutions.
• Mandate better data collection on hate crimes targeting temples to inform future policies