Trudeau: Canada Will Spend $5M To Strengthen Security At Jewish Institutions

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday announced that the government will spend more than $5 million to strengthen security at Jewish institutions amid an increase in antisemitic incidents.

"The rise in hate-motivated crimes against the Jewish community in the past few months is not only alarming, it’s completely unacceptable,” Trudeau said at a special virtual national summit on antisemitism. “As Jewish Canadians, too many of you have told me you’re feeling isolated and vulnerable.”

More than 2,600 antisemitic incidents took place in Canada in 2020, the fifth straight record-breaking year, according to B'nai Brith Canada.

The new funding is part of the Canadian government’s Security Infrastructure Program to bolster the safety of at-risk minorities.

Last month, Canada added three new names to its blacklist of terrorist groups and individuals which includes an Islamist militant group, two white supremacist organizations and a self-identified American neo-Nazi.

Being added to the blacklist of terrorist entities in Canada allows authorities to freeze their assets and prosecute their members or associates for carrying out extremist activities.