Court documents show the allegations relate to an incident “on or about” Jan. 17, 2017.

Johnston has been a prominent figure in the debate centred around Muslim prayer in Peel schools and has published material online targeting Muslims.

Last March, he offered a $1,000 “reward” for any video students secretly could take of Muslim students praying at school.

The school board accused Johnston, a former Mississauga mayoral candidate, of encouraging hatred with the reward offer, an allegation Johnston denied.

“I am looking for everyone, including teachers and students, (to provide evidence) of hate crimes against Jews, against women, against infidels and against Canadians,” Johnston said at the time, adding he believes the messages during Muslim prayer incite hate and he is vehemently opposed to the Qur'an being read out in “our schools.”

Following disruptions of Peel District School Board meetings, where the issue was dealt with, Johnston was banned from attending future meetings. He was escorted off school board property by police during a meeting March 22.

In October of 2016, Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie filed a hate-motivated-crime complaint with Peel police after Johnston’s website published an article claiming the mayor was trying to convert the city to Islam so “they can kill her son just for being gay.”

Peel police would not say if that article was one of the postings that lead to the charge.

Earlier this week, Ontario PC leadership candidate Doug Ford denounced Johnston, tweeting “he is not welcome at our events.”