Executive summary

Mass victimization incidents, defined as the deliberate targeting of large groups of individuals through acts of violence, remain a persistent and troubling concern within Canadian society. These acts not only cause profound grief and disruption in the lives of those directly affected, but they also ripple outward, impacting communities, institutions, and societal perceptions of safety.

This report provides a comprehensive review of 15 major mass victimization events that have occurred in Canada over the past 50 years. Drawing from a variety of grey literature and peer-reviewed sources, this synthesis examines commonalities and unique features across these tragedies to identify patterns apparent in these incidents, as well as explore recommendations from inquiries and reviews after the incidents, aimed at preventing such incidents and providing victim-centred responses in the immediate, short- and long-term aftermath of mass violence. Note that this report does not include all mass victimization events in Canada in the last 50 years, only the mass victimization events that met all inclusion criteria for this report.

The following Canadian mass victimization events were included in the analysis:

  1. Air India Flight 182 bombing (1985)
  2. École Polytechnique shooting (1989)
  3. Giant Mine disaster (1992)
  4. Vernon massacre (1996)
  5. Mayerthorpe shooting (2005)
  6. Calgary stabbings
  7. Moncton Attack
  8. Ottawa shooting (2014)
  9. Edmonton mass shooting (2014)
  10. The Renfrew County triple murder (2015)
  11. Quebec Mosque shooting (2017)
  12. Toronto van attack (2018)
  13. Nova Scotia mass shooting (2020)
  14. London truck attack (2021)
  15. James Cree Smith Nation stabbings (2022)

These incidents span a range of settings and motives, underscoring the complexity of modern threats and the need for multidimensional responses.

Although each case presents its own context and specificities, several commonalities emerged from the review:

The evidence reviewed herein suggests that Canadian efforts to address mass victimization require a two-fold approach centred on: i) responding with compassion and support for victims and survivors, as well as the wider circles of impact that include family members, witnesses, communities, and responders; ii) while proactively working to prevent future tragedies through system-level change. Review of the relevant literature points towards several victim-centred recommendations/lessons learned, highlighting overall the necessity of a survivor-informed approach to prevention, immediate- and short-term response and long-term recovery.

All recommendations/lessons learned presented in this report are quoted or summarized directly from the original source materials, including federal and provincial inquiries, coroner inquests, judicial reports, and government publications, peer-reviewed articles, and non-government publications. No recommendations have been generated independently by the authors.

The following strategies highlight effective response practices drawn from past events:

  1. Mental health and emotional support
    • Provide on-site and long-term trauma counseling for survivors and affected communities.
    • Establish Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) teams and peer support groups.
    • Create resiliency centres and informal healing spaces to promote community cohesion and recovery.
  2. Communication and transparency
    • Maintain regular, clear communication with victims’ families during and after incidents.
    • Involve survivors and families in public memorial planning to foster collective remembrance and healing.
  3. Financial and legal assistance
    • Ensure government funding covers immediate and long-term expenses for victims, including legal aid and funeral costs.
    • Support advocacy groups that help families secure fair compensation and legal representation.
  4. Community-based and culturally sensitive support
    • Partner with culturally appropriate service providers, especially for immigrant and equity-denied communities.
    • Provide educational and therapeutic resources in relevant languages and cultural contexts.
  5. Trust and inclusion
    • Involve victims and frontline service providers in policy development and safety planning.
    • Deliver evidence-based trauma-informed training to first responders, healthcare professionals, and justice system actors. Ensure that this training is developed by credible experts.

Our review also identified several prevention-centred recommendations that leverage lessons learned from past mass victimization events in Canada. It is apparent that preventing future mass victimization events requires investment in coordination, infrastructure, education, and risk monitoring.

  1. Improved coordination and communication
    • Develop centralized threat assessment tools and national protocols for violence prevention.
    • Strengthen interagency collaboration, including shared databases and referral systems for high-risk individuals.
  2. Security infrastructure and training
    • Enforce robust gun control measures, including background checks and safe storage laws.
    • Strengthen airport, public, and parliamentary security.
    • Expand active shooter training, including updated protective gear and tactical protocols for officers.
    • Integrate urban design strategies that reduce vehicle attack vulnerabilities for pedestrians.
  3. Education and public awareness
    • Implement anti-violence programs in schools and campuses, using trauma-informed pedagogy.
    • Launch public campaigns against hate, misogyny, and Islamophobia.
    • Promote media literacy and online safety to combat radicalization and misinformation.
    • Confront bias in policing and justice, especially in response to crimes against marginalized communities.
    • Fund grassroots initiatives that are working to build inclusive, hate-free communities.
  4. Risk assessment and monitoring
    • Use consistent and validated risk assessment tools for domestic violence, hate crimes, and threats.
    • Train health and social service providers to recognize warning signs and intervene appropriately.

In addition to the recommendations reviewed above, there are significant gaps in the current literature and available public discourse surrounding mass victimization. These include:

  1. Recognition of the wider circles of impact. Recognition that mass victimization events impact not only direct victims but also significantly affect the mental health and wellbeing of families, communities, and frontline responders.
  2. Inclusion of psychosocial needs in simulation exercises. Integrate psychosocial support considerations into all mass victimization preparedness simulations, using standardized and adaptable templates that reflect the needs of diverse communities and responder groups.
  3. Identification and adaptation of extra-jurisdictional practices. Identify and evaluate international best practices for responding to and preventing mass victimization events and adapt these practices to align with Canada’s unique cultural context.
  4. Age, disability, and culturally appropriate supports. Develop inclusive, age-appropriate, and culturally specific supports for mass victimization response that address the unique needs of children, older adults, persons with disabilities, and individuals with diverse intersectional identities, including Indigenous peoples, racialized communities, LGBTQ2SIA+ individuals, and those in rural or Northern regions.
  5. Identification of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) offering support services. Include NGOs in response planning to provide victim-centred support, ensuring their effective integration into immediate, short-term, and long-term responses to mass victimization events. We do note, however, that there is a Directory of Victim Services, managed by Justice Canada, which lists overs 800 victim services providers who work with victims of crime (https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/victims-victimes/vsd-rsv/index.html).
  6. Long-term aftermath of mass victimization events. Develop and implement long-term support strategies that address the sustained physical, mental health, and psychosocial needs of victims, their families, witnesses, communities, and frontline responders in the aftermath of mass victimization events.

While mass victimization incidents are rare, their impact is profound – and, at times, preventable. By learning from the past, we can action more responsive, inclusive, and proactive responses that protect communities and support healing in the face of tragedy.