Mawlana Hazar Imam in conversation with the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Vancouver, on 25 July 2026.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
Mawlana Hazar Imam in conversation with the Honourable David Eby, Premier of British Columbia in Vancouver, on 25 July 2026.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
President of the Ismaili Council for Canada Ameerally Kassim-Lakha welcomes guests to the Building Together event in Vancouver, Canada.
Photo: IPL / The Ismaili
President of the Ismaili Council for Canada Ameerally Kassim-Lakha and the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding between Build Canada Homes and the Ismaili Council for Canada.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
Lori Kerr, CEO of FinDev Canada and Sultan Allana, Director of AKFED, signed a Memorandum of Understanding between FinDEV Canada and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development on 25 July 2026.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
Guests of honour at an event to mark community investments in British Columbia on 25 July 2026.
Photo: IPL / The Ismaili
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, addresses guests at an event to mark community investments in British Columbia on 25 July 2026.
Photo: IPL / The Ismaili
The Honourable David Eby, Premier of British Columbia, addresses guests at an event to mark community investments in British Columbia on 25 July 2026.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
Mawlana Hazar Imam signs architectural renderings for Generations Burnaby, Generations Tri-Cities and Jamatkhana, and a multi-purpose sporting and cultural centre at Burnaby Lake.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
Guests of honour unveil a plaque to to commemorate the Generations Vancouver initiative.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
On behalf of the City of Vancouver, Mayor Sim presents the special honour of a Civic Merit Medallion to Hazar Imam.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
Mawlana Hazar Imam addresses guests at an event to mark community investments in British Columbia on 25 July 2026.
Photo: IPL / The Ismaili
Mike Hurley, Mayor of Burnaby; and Meghan Lahti, Mayor of Port Moody, sign architectural renderings for Generations Burnaby, Generations Tri-Cities and Jamatkhana, and a multi-purpose sporting and cultural centre at Burnaby Lake.
Photo: IPL / Akbar Hakim
Mawlana Hazar Imam joined senior Canadian leaders in Vancouver today to commemorate new investments in affordable housing, healthy aging, sporting and social infrastructure; and to witness the signing of two agreements expected to benefit communities across Canada and around the world. Hazar Imam was accompanied by his sons, Prince Irfan and Prince Sinan.
Held under the banner of “Building Together,” the event brought together the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Honourable David Eby, Premier of British Columbia; and provincial and local government representatives, alongside project partners, volunteers, and leaders of the Jamat and AKDN. Also in attendance were The Honourable Wendy Cocchia, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia; and Their Worships Ken Sim, Mayor of Vancouver; Mike Hurley, Mayor of Burnaby; and Meghan Lahti, Mayor of Port Moody.
Guests witnessed the signing of two Memoranda of Understanding. The first, between Build Canada Homes and the Ismaili Council for Canada, advances the development of affordable, multi-generational housing through the Generations model—homes paired with the supports that enable a community to thrive, including long-term and supportive care, primary healthcare, community kitchens, and early childhood development centres.
The second, between FinDev Canada and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, advances sustainable and inclusive economic growth in developing countries—focusing on infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture and financial services, across South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Guests of honour also signed architectural renderings for Generations Burnaby, Generations Tri-Cities and Jamatkhana, and a multi-purpose sporting and cultural centre at Burnaby Lake. A fourth project, Generations Vancouver, is already under way and due to open later in 2026. Together they are the newest additions to half a century of work by the Ismaili Imamat and Ismaili community in Canada, in conjunction with government and civil society partners.
Minister Anand, a longtime friend of the Jamat in Canada, commended the Ismaili Muslim community’s many decades of contributions to public service, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, education, and healthcare across the country.
“Canada is stronger because of your contributions. Canada is stronger because of your generosity. Canada is stronger because of your commitment to human betterment and success in every aspect of human development and evolution. And I thank you, and we thank you, sincerely.”
In his address, Hazar Imam explained why combining affordable housing, care and community makes sense in today’s world.
“As Ismaili Muslims,” he said, “our understanding of Islam is that faith should find expression in efforts to improve the quality of human life, and that self-reliance and service should reinforce one another. The projects we commemorate today bring this ethic to life.”
“New homes, care for seniors, and early learning will be brought together in ways that strengthen connection across generations,” he added. “The relationship between homes, shared spaces, and places of care and learning will give physical form to dignity, openness, and community.”
Generations, a national not-for-profit approach to intergenerational living inspired by the values of compassion, dignity and service, seeks to create places where children, families, adults, and seniors can live with greater connection.
Upcoming Generations projects will be conceived with environmental sustainability in mind. Each building will be energy efficient, will prioritise local labour and materials—recycled as much as possible—and will feature gardens. Plantings will be carefully selected to feature local vegetation and support pollinators such as bees, butterflies and birds.
“We’re excited to see Generations Vancouver taking shape,” said Mayor Sim. “It's an inspiring example of how thoughtful community building can address some of our greatest challenges,” he added, calling it “a best-in-class, mixed-use community hub where residents can live, learn, socialise, and support each other in an intergenerational setting.”
On behalf of the City of Vancouver, Mayor Sim also presented the special honour of a Civic Merit Medallion to Hazar Imam. The award, unanimously ratified by the City Council, acknowledges the Ismaili Imamat’s distinguished service to humanity.
Rooting the work of the Ismaili Imamat and community in its values, Premier Eby paid tribute to Hazar Imam’s leadership in challenging times.
“Your Highness, your continued commitment to the values of peace, environmental sustainability, to lifting people out of poverty, your commitment to these values is an example to all of us, in this time of uncertainty, that the path forward is not to abandon these values, but instead, to hold tight to them as the anchors that will keep us safe in a storm, and will keep us together, and ensure the prosperity of not just this amazing province and not [just] this country, but the entire world.”
https://the.ismaili/ca/en/news/ismaili- ... h-columbia
