How is incel ideology becoming one of Canada's deadliest extremist threats?

Kieran Doyle, Research Manager for US & Canada at ACLED, said:

"The alleged incel-inspired shooting in Montreal has made 2026 the deadliest year for political violence in Canada since ACLED began recording data in 2021. 

“Just halfway through the year, two attacks — the Montreal shooting on 22 June and a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, in February — have already pushed fatalities from political violence to their highest level in ACLED's Canada dataset.

“These attacks are often described as 'lone actor' incidents which is true in the sense that perpetrators carry them out without a wider hierarchy or organizational structure. On the other hand, they're not happening in isolation. The ideas that motivate them are shared, reinforced, and celebrated in online communities that create a sense of belonging around grievance and violence.

“The alleged manifesto in Montreal reflects a broader trend we're seeing across North America. Rather than following a single ideology, perpetrators are increasingly drawing on a mix of extremist beliefs — in this case misogyny, antisemitism, anti-capitalist rhetoric, and other fringe narratives.

“The online response to the attack is also significant. Incel forums quickly celebrated the shooting and linked it to previous attacks in Canada, including a 2018 van attack that killed 11 people and the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre, in which 14 women were killed. That glorification helps sustain these movements beyond any individual attack and increases the risk that future perpetrators will see violence as a way to gain recognition and notoriety within and beyond these online communities."

See the full United States and Canada Overview: July 2026.