Nearly all Jewish college students in Canada experienced or saw antisemitism last year — report

Nearly all Jewish university students surveyed across Canada said they experienced or witnessed antisemitism last year, according to a government-commissioned report released yesterday.

The report surveyed approximately 900 Jewish postsecondary students nationwide from November to December 2025, in what it said was the most comprehensive national study to date examining the experiences of Jewish students on Canadian campuses. Many reported harassment, intimidation, classroom bias and a lack of confidence that their universities would respond effectively.

The survey found that 95.7 percent of Jewish respondents said they had experienced or witnessed at least one antisemitic incident during the previous 12 months, while 84% described antisemitism as a serious problem on campus. Some 70% said their university does not take antisemitism seriously, and 68% said their campus is not a safe or inclusive place for Jewish students.

More than one in five respondents said they experienced or witnessed physical violence directed at Jews on campus “often or occasionally,” while 54% reported intimidation or threats and 71% reported antisemitic vandalism.

Students said concerns over safety were influencing their daily behavior, with 72% saying they limit what they say in class about being Jewish and 57% reporting that they avoid wearing or displaying Jewish symbols because they fear for their safety.

A quarter said they were considering leaving their university because of antisemitism, and 40% said it had harmed them academically.

Respondents described being chased while wearing a kippah, spat on for displaying a Star of David necklace, shunned by classmates after revealing they were Jewish, and encountering swastikas and other antisemitic graffiti across campus. Others said they were called “Zionist” as a slur, pressured to denounce Israel, or excluded from student groups and academic projects because of their Jewish identity.