Canada, Aga Khan announce housing and global development partnerships during Ottawa visit

Rahim Aga Khan, the 50th hereditary Imam of the Shia Nizari Ismaili Muslims, has arrived in Ottawa for a seven-day official visit, marked by high-level meetings and the announcement of new partnerships with the Canadian government.

During his visit, the Aga Khan met with Prime Minister Mark Carney on Parliament Hill, where the two sides issued a Joint Declaration outlining new areas of cooperation in housing and international development.

Prime Minister Carney described the meeting as a “historic day,” highlighting the long-standing relationship between Canada and the Ismaili Imamat, which spans more than five decades. He also praised Canada’s Ismaili community—estimated at over 120,000 people—for its significant cultural and economic contributions.

As part of the agreement, Canada and the Ismaili Imamat will collaborate to improve housing affordability through a series of multi-generational, not-for-profit housing projects across the country. Through the government’s Build Canada Homes initiative, a long-term partnership will be established to support the development of housing for low- and middle-income communities.

The two sides also announced the creation of an Economic Partnership Platform aimed at strengthening development financing. Under this initiative, FinDev Canada and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development will work together to mobilize public and private capital for investments in infrastructure, renewable energy, and agriculture across Africa and Asia.

“The values and principles that are so inherently Canadian, we share,” the Aga Khan said, expressing optimism about expanding cooperation. “Today will set the stage for more work together to make the world a better place.”

Prime Minister Carney also announced that David Lametti, Canada’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, will be appointed as the country’s official representative to the Ismaili Imamat, further formalizing bilateral engagement.

Earlier in the day, the Aga Khan was welcomed upon arrival in Ottawa by senior Canadian officials, including Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, alongside parliamentary representatives and leaders of the Ismaili community.

The visit will also include a series of community-focused engagements, including the groundbreaking of a new Jamatkhana in the Greater Montreal area and the inauguration of a multigenerational housing project in Toronto.

Preparations for the visit have been underway for weeks, with volunteers across Canada organizing events, workshops, and gatherings to welcome the Imam.

Observers note that the visit reflects a deepening partnership between Canada and the Ismaili Imamat, combining domestic priorities such as housing with broader international cooperation in development and finance.

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