Ramadan in Canada

What it is

Ramadan is a month of the Islamic calendar and one of Islam's Five Pillars, a duty that Muslims around the world share. For those who keep it, this is a time for fasting, prayer, thinking and being together. In Canada, Muslims make up about five per cent of the population, more than 1.8 million people, and the month is marked across the country. Because Canada is so large and so varied, the experience differs from place to place, shaped by local communities, cultural traditions and the number of daylight hours.

Dates and moon sighting

Ramadan begins and ends on dates set by the lunar calendar, so the month moves earlier by about ten to twelve days each year in the Gregorian calendar. Cities such as Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal have local committees that watch for the new moon, and other communities follow announcements from Muslim-majority countries instead. In the far north, where summer daylight can last much longer, places such as Yellowknife may face fasts of fifteen hours or more, and some there keep Makkah's timings for convenience.

Fasting and prayer

The daily fast runs from before dawn until sunset. Muslims taking part eat an early meal, then go without food or drink through the daylight hours, and in the evening they break the fast. Prayers increase through the month, and evening Taraweeh prayers give people a chance to hear and recite the Quran; many set themselves the goal of finishing the whole text before Ramadan ends. Mosques and Islamic centres also run lectures and workshops on Islamic teachings, so the month is as much about learning as about going without.

Charity and recognition

Giving grows during Ramadan. Zakat, the alms Muslims are required to give, and Sadaqah, giving that is freely chosen, both rise, and donations go to organizations such as Islamic Relief Canada and to local food banks. Canadian governments also mark the month: official statements are issued, and the Minister of Health, Kamal Khera, has described it as a season of generosity and compassion, and of fresh commitment to people in need. Landmarks have been lit for Ramadan, including the CN Tower, and programs that combat Islamophobia run alongside.

How Ramadan in Canada is kept

Canadian Muslims who keep Ramadan eat before dawn, then fast through the daylight hours. The day is given to work or study alongside extra prayer, Quran reading and giving. At sunset the fast is broken, at home or at a community iftar hosted by a mosque or Islamic centre. Evening Taraweeh prayers often follow. Through the month charitable giving increases, and organizers collect for food banks and relief organizations. The exact start and end of the month are settled by local moon sighting or by announcements from Muslim-majority countries, with northern communities sometimes following Makkah's timings.

When and where

Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar, so it arrives about ten to twelve days earlier each year in the Gregorian calendar. Its first and last days are decided by local moon-sighting committees in Canadian cities, or by announcements from Muslim-majority countries. Communities in the far north sometimes keep Makkah's timings instead.

It is kept across Canada, wherever Muslims live. The observances are most visible in large cities such as Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, which have moon-sighting committees of their own, and in northern places such as Yellowknife, where the daylight hours change the shape of the fast.

What Ramadan in Canada means

For those who keep it, Ramadan is a month of devotion and self-restraint, one of Islam's Five Pillars, and a period set aside for prayer and reflection. It is equally a month of giving: charity rises, and mosques and Islamic centres feed whoever comes to a community iftar. In Canada, public figures have spoken of the month as a season of generosity and compassion, and the observances stand beside efforts to counter anti-Muslim discrimination.

Days Ramadan in Canada is marked

Questions people ask about Ramadan in Canada

See also

Sun DanceA days-long dance of fasting and sacrifice among the Plains peoplesFeast of the TransfigurationA Christian holy day marking the revelation of Christ's divine glory on Mount TaborAsh WednesdayA solemn Christian holy day of prayer, fasting, and the placing of ashesHalloweenAn annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritage

Good reading and sources

• Ramadan 2025: Fasting hours and iftar times around the worldAl Jazeera, Article
• Ramadan 2025: Fasting hours and iftar times around the worldAl Jazeera, Article

• Ramadan in Canada on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-10.