Al-Rashid Mosque was the first mosque built in Canada

The Al-Rashid Mosque was the first mosque built in Canada. It was constructed in Edmonton, Alberta and it opened on December 12, 1938. At the time, there were about 700 Muslims in Canada. In the 1940s, the building was relocated from its original site to a location a few blocks away to make room for a school expansion.

By the 1980s, the mosque had been outgrown by the booming Muslim community, and had fallen into disrepair. The city, which owned the land on which it was located, was contemplating demolition of the site to expand a hospital. But in 1991, it was decided to move the mosque to Fort Edmonton Park at a cost of $75,000. About a year later on May 28, 1992, it was reopened in the park.