The Democracy Fund is conducting its own forensic investigation into church and synagogue fires; urges Parliament to find a forum for the study.
TORONTO: The Democracy Fund (TDF) is concerned by the decision of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, on October 29, 2026, not to study arson, vandalism and other criminal attacks against places of worship in Canada.
At the committee’s meeting, MP Andrew Lawton moved that the committee undertake a study on vandalism, arson, shootings and other criminal attacks against places of worship in Canada. The committee chair ruled the motion inadmissible because it exceeded the committee’s mandate. A majority of members voted to sustain that ruling.
On May 8, 2026, TDF announced an independent forensic investigation into the wave of arson and vandalism against churches and synagogues across Canada since 2021. Certified fire and explosion investigator Glenn Baxter leads the investigation. He is working with an access-to-information specialist to obtain and review approximately 100 fire investigation reports. Most recently, TDF also wrote to the Montreal Fire Department and Montreal Police Services to request the investigation report on the February 23 fire at St. Paul’s Catholic Church.
Section 2(a) of the Charter guarantees every Canadian freedom of conscience and religion. In practice, that freedom depends on congregations being able to gather safely in their own buildings. When places of worship burn and most cases go unresolved, the safety of every faith community is threatened. While some of these fires may prove to be accidental, many appear intentional. Ascertaining the difference between accidents and arson requires an evidence-based examination.
TDF Executive Director, Mark Joseph, said: “Over a hundred churches and many synagogues across this country have been burned, vandalized and, in some cases, shot at, and the overwhelming majority of these cases remain unresolved. Canadians of every faith deserve to know the nature and extent of these occurrences. This is not a partisan issue. We would welcome any committee of Parliament taking up this study, and TDF is prepared to share the findings of our investigation.”
TDF’s independent investigation is ongoing, and TDF will publish its findings when the investigation is complete. TDF’s work on the investigation to date is available here.
About The Democracy Fund:
Founded in 2021, The Democracy Fund (TDF) is a Canadian charity dedicated to defending constitutional rights, promoting free speech and religious freedom, and opposing religious discrimination. TDF advances these principles through litigation, public education, educational initiatives, and access-to-justice programs for Canadians whose civil liberties have been infringed.
