The Peterborough Police Service has launched a refreshed public education and awareness campaign aimed at increasing the reporting of hate-motivated incidents and improving community understanding of hate and bias.
Branded as N0H8 (pronounced “No Hate” and stylized with the letters N and H and numbers 0 and 8), the initiative is funded through a three-year Proceeds of Crime Grant from the Ontario government.
Announced during a media conference at the Peterborough police station on Water Street on Wednesday morning (January 21), the campaign encourages residents to learn what constitutes hate and bias, how to report such incidents, and the role of police in responding.
N0H8 aims to raise awareness about what hate and hate incidents may look like in the community, promote personal stories of courage and acceptance, make educational resources more accessible, and encourage more people to report hate incidents through the police service’s online reporting portal at peterboroughpolice.com/n0h8.
From 2020 and 2024, the Peterborough Police Service says there were 201 hate/bias incidents or crimes in the region it serves (the City of Peterborough, Village of Lakefield, and Township of Cavan-Monaghan).
The highest number of incidents (67) occurred in 2023 and included multiple reports related to the distribution of antisemitic flyers in Peterborough. After a four-month investigation, police arrested and charged a 31-year-old Peterborough man in connection with that incident.
Chief Stuart Betts said the N0H8 campaign responds to both ongoing community concerns about hate/bias incidents and the underreporting of these incidents.
“Over the past five years, on average, 46 hate/bias incidents are reported (each year) to our service,” the chief said. “In 2024, more than half of those incidents resulted in charges. We are also aware that these types of incidents are underreported and that is why we are reaching out to the community to encourage more people to report.”
Betts noted he anticipates the campaign may result in a “spike” in the reporting of hate-motivated incidents or crimes, adding that this “to be expected with a campaign of this nature.”
As part of the grant-funded work, the police service has created a dedicated website that defines hate and bias incidents, lists resources and community supports, and links directly to the online reporting form.
Police are also developing training for both sworn and civilian members of the service and are working on an online visual tool to illustrate how hate manifests locally.
Police say that throughout the development of the campaign, they connected with community partners to better understand local needs and gaps, including the City of Peterborough, the New Canadians Centre, the Race Relations Committee, and Peterborough Youth Services.
To build engagement, police are asking residents, businesses, and schools to help share the N0H8 message. Businesses can display window stickers, add links on their websites, and share information through social media. Schools are being encouraged to discuss the campaign in class, invite police community service officers to speak to students, and learn how to report hate and bias incidents. Individuals can access the online toolkit and share campaign materials on social media using the hashtags #nameit #reportit #n0h8.
Residents can also expect to see the Peterborough Police Service supporting the campaign by placing N0H8 stickers on police vehicles, wearing pins, providing direct links to the online reporting portal, hosting pop-up outreach events, and attending community events.
The refreshed N0H8 campaign reflects an initiative that has existed for more than a decade. N0H8 information cards were first launched in the early 2010s with community support, updated in 2017, and expanded in 2022 when the police service began accepting hate and bias reports through its online portal. The revamped campaign, including updated information cards, marks the latest phase of activity using the provincial grant.
