Nine Muslim Schools Heighten Security as Police Investigate Canada-Wide Threat
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Police services in several Canadian jurisdictions are investigating after nine Muslim schools received the same anonymous message containing violent threats against Muslims, prompting heightened security measures around schools and religious institutions.
The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) said its schools in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec received the message within roughly a 24-hour period. Authorities in the affected jurisdictions were notified and several police services have opened investigations.
The anonymous message contained anti-Muslim language and threats of killing and deportation. Police have not announced the identification of a suspect or organization responsible for sending it.
In Ontario's Peel Region, the police hate crime unit is investigating, while officers increased patrols around local mosques and schools as a precaution.
Police in London and Waterloo Region are also investigating threats involving Islamic schools and have said they are aware of similar incidents in other jurisdictions.
In Ottawa, police increased their visibility around religious institutions and the educational facilities connected to the complaint. Ottawa Police said there is currently no information indicating a specific or imminent threat to religious or educational institutions in the city.
MAC spokesperson Nabil Sultan said the organization has previously dealt with anti-Muslim comments and threatening messages, but described the coordinated targeting of several schools with the same message as unprecedented for the organization.
MAC has strengthened security arrangements, including hiring security personnel, while its schools have continued operating with additional precautions and cooperation from law enforcement.
The investigation comes against a broader rise in police-reported hate crimes targeting Muslims. Statistics Canada recorded 229 such incidents in 2024, compared with 84 in 2020, an increase of more than 170 per cent over that period.
