Anti-racism toolkit launches in Nanaimo

A group of multicultural people. (Monstera Production/pexels.com)

A Nanaimo organization is launching a new anti-racism and anti-hate toolkit as reports of hate incidents continue to rise across British Columbia and Vancouver Island.

The 21-page guide, created by the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society, will soon be distributed at libraries and public buildings across Nanaimo and posted online.

The toolkit is designed to help people recognize racism and hate, respond safely to incidents, and connect victims with support services in the community.

“Nanaimo is an increasingly diverse community,” said Sarah Haynes, community engagement team lead with the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society.

“The number of newcomers to Canada that are coming or choosing to come to Nanaimo has been increasing and is likely to continue to increase,” Haynes said.

“It was brought to our attention by community members, community partners, and other service providers that there was a gap in resources in how to deal with racist and hateful incidents. We saw this as an opportunity to respond to community need.”

The project was funded through the Department of Justice Canada’s Victims and Survivors of Crime Week Grant Program.

According to the toolkit, hate incidents in British Columbia increased by 118 per cent between 2019 and 2021. The document also says hate crimes in Canada have more than doubled since 2020, reaching nearly 4,900 incidents in 2024.

The guide says Vancouver Island has the second-highest number of reported hate incidents in B.C. after the Lower Mainland.

It also points to growing diversity in Nanaimo, where the racialized population increased from 11.8 per cent in 2019 to 14.4 per cent in 2024.

“The toolkit touches upon, of course, why it’s needed, and it provides local specifics to Nanaimo, but it also focuses on what to do if you witness an incident of hate or racism,” Haynes said.

“It also focuses on what to do if you experience one as well,” she added.

The toolkit explains the differences between discrimination, hate incidents, and hate crimes while outlining practical steps people can take.

One section introduces a “5 W’s” framework encouraging people to assess who was targeted, what happened, where and when the incident occurred, and why it may have been motivated by hate.

Another section outlines the “5 D’s” of bystander intervention: distract, delegate, document, delay, and direct.

The guide also highlights several local examples of hate incidents in Nanaimo, including vandalized Pride crosswalks, thefts of Indigenous memorial items, and vandalized signs connected to the Iranian community.

Haynes said one of the most important parts of the guide is its collection of local support resources and continuing care.

“There’s a section for LGBTQ support. There’s a section for Indigenous supports and then more general supports,” she said.

The guide says many hate incidents go unreported because of fear, mistrust in institutions, language barriers, and uncertainty about what qualifies as hate.

It also stresses that incidents that may not meet the threshold of a criminal offence can still cause significant harm and should not be dismissed.

“It’s a toolkit mostly for those people who are witnessing it and who may be experiencing it personally or may know someone who experienced it, and that person might not feel comfortable reporting it,” Haynes said.

“But this toolkit gives, let’s say, their support person the avenues to reach out and then either report it as having happened or, finding that person who did experience it support in the community.”

Copies of the toolkit are currently available in English and French at the organization’s Selby Street office in Nanaimo. The guide is expected to be available online next week through the Central Vancouver Island Multicultural Society website.

The toolkit emphasizes that addressing racism is not only about reporting incidents but also about ensuring people feel safe, supported, and included in their communities.