New Al-Haqq Masjid Becomes the 10th Mosque in the City
It was once a Sikh community centre, then a Christian church. Today, the building at 500 Dovercourt Drive in Linden Ridge has found a new purpose — as Al-Haqq Masjid, Winnipeg’s newest mosque and a spiritual home for the city’s growing Nigerian Muslim community.
The 7,600-square-foot mosque officially opened on Saturday in a joyous ceremony attended by community members, friends, and faith leaders.
“We had been struggling for many years to find a place to meet,” said Imam Yinusa Salami, the mosque’s volunteer Imam.
“This gives us a permanent home — a place to gather, worship, and provide programs for our adults and youth.”
The Al-Haqq community began humbly in 2009, when five Nigerian families met in their homes for prayers. As the congregation expanded, they rented space at the Grand Mosque in 2013. Today, the mosque has grown to include over 200 families.
Purchasing the Linden Ridge property cost $2.2 million. So far, members have raised $700,000, with hopes of paying off the remaining $1.5 million within two years. Additional fundraising is underway to upgrade facilities — including washrooms for ablution, new kitchen appliances, a security system, and a prayer carpet for the main hall.
Although founded by the Nigerian Muslim community, Imam Salami emphasised inclusivity:
“It is for everyone. Everyone is welcome here.”
Local resident Masallah Emre, a Kurd from Turkey, was thrilled to see the mosque open nearby.
“When I saw the building up for sale, I thought it would make a great mosque. Now my wife and I can walk here for prayers. It’s fantastic.”
The new mosque marks Winnipeg’s 10th Islamic place of worship, a milestone celebrated by veteran community leader Abdo El Tassi, one of the founders of Winnipeg’s first mosque, the Pioneer Mosque in St. Vital, established in 1975.
“The more mosques that are built, the better it is for our community,” El Tassi said. “We celebrate each one.”
He also praised the building’s interfaith journey — from Sikh to Christian to Muslim — calling it “a beautiful reflection of Canada’s freedom of worship.”
During the opening ceremony, Imam Ismael Mukhtar of the Grand Mosque urged unity among Winnipeg’s diverse Muslim communities.
“Our mosques may serve different groups, but in the end, we are one body with the same purpose,” he said. “Let’s not allow division to take root here.”
For Kabir Oladeji, president of Al-Haqq Mosque, the moment was deeply emotional.
“I thank God for making this possible,” he said. “We prayed for it for so many years — and now, the dream has become a reality.”
