Toronto police have launched a hate crime investigation after nooses appeared on two building sites in the city. One was found hanging at a partially built tower on Bay Street in the city centre, weeks after two others were left on a site in the suburb of East York.
EllisDon, one of the contractors working on the Bay Street project, told CBC Toronto on Friday that “yesterday, a piece of hate paraphernalia was discovered at a portion of the project being managed by EllisDon and Govan Brown in joint venture”.
The company apologised to the workers who made the discovery and initiated emergency stand downs and tool box talks to condemn the actions, offer support, and ask the individual or individuals to own up to their actions.
Geoff Smith, president of EllisDon, said the company would launch its own investigation to “identify, prosecute and evict anyone involved from our industry”.
 Superintendent Michael Barsky said the noose was found on the 27th floor, where workers were installing heating, ventilation and air-conditioning. He added that there were no video cameras at the site, it was unlikely officers would find out who left it in the near future.
He commented: “I’m not sure who in the world thinks this is tasteful or the right thing to do but hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
Two nooses were found by black workers at a hospital project in East York on 10 June, also run by EllisDon. They told police that the nooses were not there when they left work the previous afternoon.
Over the weekend, posters and artwork with anti-racist messages were added to a wall at the East York site.
Image: ©GCR, illustration by Denis Carrier
