Young Canadians Exposed to Rising Antisemitism and Islamophobia

A recent poll conducted by the Association for Canadian Studies revealed that young Canadians are increasingly exposed to antisemitic and Islamophobic remarks. The survey, carried out by Leger from June 6 to 8, 2025, indicates that over one-third (39 percent) of Canadians aged 18 to 24 have encountered antisemitic comments, while nearly half (46 percent) reported hearing Islamophobic comments since the onset of conflict following Hamas’s invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023.

Jack Jedwab, chief executive of the Association for Canadian Studies, expressed concern over the findings, stating that the high levels of exposure to both forms of prejudice were surprising. He noted that the data suggests a significant role of social media in normalizing such rhetoric among young Canadians. “If you look back at surveys prior to October 2023, Canadians were far more likely to say they were more exposed to prejudice directed towards Muslims than other groups, including Jews,” Jedwab explained. “The convergence of exposure rates indicates a notable increase in antisemitism.”

The poll highlights a marked rise in antisemitic incidents, with Jedwab emphasizing a need for urgent action. He pointed to alarming reports of anti-Jewish sentiment in Ontario’s public schools, calling for clear statements from authority figures that stigmatization of individuals based on their faith or cultural symbols, such as the Star of David or hijab, is unacceptable. “Regrettably, there is too much equivocation on this and other manifestations of prejudice,” he stated.

Media Perceptions Influenced by Discriminatory Comments

Additionally, the poll found that the perception of media coverage regarding the Hamas-Israel conflict is heavily influenced by the respondents’ experiences with discriminatory remarks. Among those who reported hearing antisemitic comments, over one-third (35.5 percent) believed mainstream media was more favorable to the Palestinians, whereas approximately a quarter (25.1 percent) thought Israel received better coverage. Conversely, those who encountered only Islamophobic comments perceived Israel as receiving more sympathetic media attention (35.8 percent), while over a quarter (27 percent) felt the Palestinians were portrayed more favorably.

The survey results show that exposure to antisemitic and Islamophobic comments declines significantly with age. Less than a quarter (23 percent) of Canadians aged 35 to 44 reported hearing antisemitic remarks, and only 14 percent of those aged 65 and over did. Encounters with Islamophobic comments were more prevalent across most age groups, yet they followed a similar trend of decreasing exposure with age.

The findings also revealed geographic disparities in experiences of prejudice. Canadians living in the prairie provinces reported the highest levels of antisemitic (23.5 percent) and Islamophobic (24.5 percent) comments.

The Leger poll was based on responses from 1,537 Canadians, with a probability sample reflecting a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percent, or 19 times out of 20.

As discussions surrounding tolerance and understanding continue, the need for addressing the normalization of prejudice through social media and public discourse remains a pressing issue, as highlighted by the findings of this significant survey.