Did anti-Asian racism decrease after the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada?

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic fueled a surge in anti-Asian sentiment in Canada, which negatively impacted the health and well-being of Asian Canadians. This study examines whether anti-Asian racism has decreased since the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: We conducted a trend analysis of anti-Asian racism in Canada by synthesizing and analyzing two key sources of data that capture changes in both objective and subjective dimensions of anti-Asian racism before, during, and after the pandemic. First, we used a census of all racially motivated hate crimes known to police services in Canada (2014-2023). Second, we used a series of anti-Asian racism surveys conducted at different time points by various research teams in collaboration with the Angus Reid Institute, including most recently, the Asian Canadians' Experiences Survey conducted by our team in June 2023.

Results: Our analysis of police-reported data suggests that the number of hate crimes targeting East or Southeast Asians rose sharply from 67 in 2019 to 263 in 2020-a 293% increase. The number peaked at 312 in 2021, then declined to 213 in 2022 and further to 158 in 2023. These figures suggest a decline in anti-Asian racism following the pandemic; however, the levels have not returned to their pre-pandemic baseline. Our analysis of survey data indicates Asian Canadians continue to encounter more subtle forms of racism, including micro-aggressions, racist media representations, reduced respect in social interactions, and derogatory name-calling. We highlight that such experiences, though not always explicitly violent, foster a hostile environment that can profoundly affect the overall well-being of Asian Canadians.

Conclusion: Anti-Asian racism is multifaceted and persistent. Policymakers and public health practitioners need to also pay attention to the negative health impacts of micro-aggressions and other less overt forms of racial discrimination, including subjective experiences of racism.