TORONTO, Ont. – Canadians have long had a reputation of being the nicest people, but it seems some of us just can’t get along.

Statistics Canada says the number of hate crimes has increased by 42 per cent between 2008 – 2009.

Police say more than half of those hate crimes in 2009 were motivated by race or ethnicity, and that has since raised by another 35 per cent.

Twenty-nine per cent of the hate crimes were religion based, which has risen by 55 per cent, and 13 per cent were because of sexual orientation which has now now raised 18 per cent.

More than half of the hate crimes were committed through acts of mischief such as graffiti or vandalism.