Ottawa, March 26, 2026: His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney today announced a new phase of cooperation between the Ismaili Imamat and the government of Canada, unveiling joint initiatives aimed at tackling housing affordability and boosting international development.
The announcement was made on Parliament Hill, where both leaders released a joint declaration outlining plans to expand affordable housing across Canada and strengthen economic partnerships in developing regions, the Ismaili reported.
Prime Minister Carney welcomed His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan and praised the longstanding contributions of the Ismaili community in Canada.
“There are over 120,000 Ismailis in Canada,” Carney said. “They make an enormous contribution to our country — building our communities, advancing entrepreneurship, and demonstrating a deep commitment to education, faith, and development.”
As part of the agreement, the Ismaili Imamat will invest in multi-generational, not-for-profit housing projects to increase the supply of affordable homes. The Canadian government, through its Build Canada Homes initiative, will also enter a long-term partnership with the Imamat to develop housing for low- and middle-income Canadians.
Beyond Canada, the two sides announced the creation of an Economic Partnership Platform designed to expand development financing in Africa and Asia.
The initiative will bring together FinDev Canada and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) to mobilize public and private capital for projects in infrastructure, renewable energy, and agriculture.
His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan highlighted the shared values underpinning the partnership.
“The values and principles that are so inherently Canadian, we share,” he said. “We are very happy to be deepening and broadening this friendship, and today will set the stage for more work together to make the world a better place.”
In a further step to strengthen ties, Prime Minister Carney announced the appointment of David Lametti, Canada’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, as the country’s new Representative to the Ismaili Imamat.
The agreement builds on more than five decades of close relations between Canada and the Ismaili community, and signals a broader commitment to collaborative solutions for both domestic challenges and global development.