What Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) does

Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) is a registered, tax-exempt Canadian charitable organization founded in 1997 and headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, operating as the country's largest grassroots Muslim social movement. MAC delivers faith-based educational, spiritual, and community services to the Canadian Muslim community through an integrated network of 13 local chapters, 23 community centres and masajid, 9 full-time Islamic day schools, 20 weekend/part-time schools, 4 Quran schools, 4 preschools/daycares, and youth programs spanning preschool through Grade 12. Supplementary programs include the iRISE character-education curriculum, EnrichIt! enrichment activities, the EMAAN Awards Night, the annual MAC Convention, the MAC eLearning platform, and the MAC Connect Hub digital resource site.

MAC's service portfolio is structured around three primary customer segments: Canadian Muslim families seeking faith-based education, Muslim Canadian youth navigating identity formation, and the broader Canadian public reached through interfaith and civic engagement. Its business model is funded predominantly through Canadian charitable donations, structured membership contributions acquired via local self-development halaqas, and government or qualified-organization grants applied to large capital purchases of new institutions, with administration costs held at approximately 5% of program spending. International relief donations are passed through to approved Canadian registered charities.

MAC is governed by a Board of Directors (chaired by Mourad Mhiri) and an Executive Committee, with Sharaf Sharafeldin serving as Executive Director and Abdullatif Bakbak as President-Executive. The organization has no parent entity and no commercial product technology platform; its digital infrastructure consists of a marketing website, an eLearning portal, and the Connect Hub content resource. A Canada Revenue Agency audit initiated in 2015 has resulted in a Charter challenge filed in April 2022 and subsequent validation through the October 2025 NSIRA report and the April 2026 independent academic review by Professor Michelle Gallant, both of which identified deficiencies in the CRA's review process.

Name

Muslim Association of Canada (MAC)

Legal name

Muslim Association of Canada

Website

https://macnet.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Muslim Association of Canada (MAC), founded 1997 and headquartered in Mississauga, is a registered Canadian charity operating 13 chapters, 23 mosques and community centres, and 28 schools serving the Canadian Muslim community through faith-based education, worship, and youth programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Educational Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Islamic Colleges & Sharia/Fiqh Institutes (EDAHAKAI)

Keywords

• Islamic education services
• Mosque community services
• Religious charitable programs
• Youth development programs
• Faith-based community centres

Headquarters

HQ city

Mississauga

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: MAC's primary funding comes from Canadian donors who contribute to support the organization's various programs, institutions, and community initiatives. The organization operates with approximately 5% administration costs, below industry standard.
2. Membership Contributions: Prospective members join through local self-development halaqas and can become formal members through structured curriculum completion and volunteer involvement.
3. International Relief Designations: Canadian donors sometimes designate donations for international relief through MAC, which are then granted to approved Canadian registered charities for relief work.
4. Government Grants: For large purchases of new institutions or schools, MAC may apply for grants from the Canadian government or qualified organizations supporting community initiatives compliant with CRA regulations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) is a registered Canadian charity that delivers faith-based educational, religious, and community services through a national network of Islamic schools (full-time, weekend, Quran, preschool), mosques and community centres, and youth and family programs. Its core offerings include K-12 Islamic day schooling, religious services and community programming at 23 masajid, youth development through camps and leadership programs, and digital learning through the MAC eLearning platform and Connect Hub resources. Funding is sourced from Canadian donors, membership contributions, and government grants.

Product overview

The Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) operates as a multi-service charitable organization offering educational, spiritual, and community services through a distributed portfolio of programs and institutions. The organization provides a comprehensive ecosystem of Islamic education through 9 full-time day schools, 20 part-time weekend schools, 4 Quran schools, and 4 preschools/daycares spanning K-12 education. Faith-based services are delivered through 23 community centers and masajid (mosques) across 13 Canadian cities, supported by 13 local chapters. Digital offerings include the MAC eLearning platform and MAC Connect Hub for online resources. Supplementary programs include the iRISE character education program, EnrichIt! enrichment activities, MAC Give volunteer initiatives, EMAAN awards celebration, and the annual MAC Convention. The portfolio operates as a unified grassroots movement rather than a commercial product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MAC Full-Time Islamic Schools (K-12) Full-time K-12 Islamic day schools combining provincial academic curriculum with Islamic values, Arabic language, and character development for Canadian Muslim children.
• MAC Part-Time Weekend Islamic Schools Weekend Islamic schools providing Arabic language instruction, Islamic education, and Quran studies for students attending mainstream schools during the week.
• MAC Quran Schools Specialized Quran memorization (Hifz) and Tajweed recitation programs for children through dedicated Quran institutions operating under MAC across Canada.
• MAC Preschools and Daycare Early childhood faith-based education and childcare for children ages 3-5, blending Quran, Arabic, and Islamic studies in nurturing preschool and daycare environments.
• MAC Community Centres & Masajid Mosques and community centres providing prayer facilities, religious services, social services, and community programming for Muslim Canadians and the broader public in 23 locations.
• MAC Local Chapters Local grassroots chapters in 13 Canadian cities delivering community programs, family activities, volunteer engagement, and event programming at the neighbourhood level.
• MAC Youth Programs Youth development programs including summer and winter camps, youth groups, and leadership initiatives fostering identity, civic engagement, and community belonging for Canadian Muslim youth.
• MAC eLearning Platform Online educational platform delivering digital Islamic learning content and self-paced programs for the Canadian Muslim community.
• MAC Connect Hub Digital resource platform providing Islamic content, kids' activities, health tips, job resources, fun learning materials, and community creative expressions for families.
• MAC Ansar Program Refugee and family support program assisting newcomers with resettlement, integration, and community connection across MAC's chapter network.
• MAC Convention Annual national convention gathering thousands of Muslim Canadians over three days for scholarship, dialogue, and community engagement.
• EMAAN Awards Night Annual awards night celebrating student excellence in academic, community service, and leadership with scholarships and Umrah trip awards.
• EnrichIt! Educational Enrichment Program Hands-on educational enrichment program established in 2007 providing literacy, science, math, and physical education activities to complement classroom instruction in MAC schools.
• MAC Give Community Volunteer Program Community volunteer program running food drives, blood drives, and fundraising activities in partnership with organizations such as the Terry Fox Foundation and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 49,250 people annually and reaches 110,000 people across Canada
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Over 30 Major Muslim OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2021National Call to Action against Islamophobia on June 18, 2021, endorsed by over 30 major Muslim organizations across Canada representing diverse mandates including social services, education, disability services, environmental issues, civic engagement, women's issues, mosques and centres, relief efforts, mental health supports, shelters, and human rights efforts.
• Alberta Health and Alberta Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2021Partnership to use MAC Islamic Centre (Rahma Mosque) as a temporary vaccination clinic in Edmonton. Site was open to general public aged 12+ within designated postal code perimeters for 3 consecutive days.
• Peel Public Health and Ontario GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 April 2021Partnership to use MAC ICCO (Islamic Community Centre of Ontario) as a vaccination popup clinic in Mississauga. The clinic served individuals 18+ in Peel hot spot postal codes from April 30 to May 11, 2021.
• Capital Region Housing (Edmonton)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2020Partnership for Ramadan Care Package Campaign providing food hampers during Ramadan to Capital Region Housing tenants of all faiths. Any tenant in need could sign up regardless of faith or background.
• The Canadian Muslim Vote (TCMV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2019Partnership to expand Muslim civic engagement education across Canada through the #GetOutTheVote campaign in MAC centres and mosques. TCMV's 2015 efforts resulted in 79% Muslim voter turnout, significantly exceeding the 46.5% from 2011 Federal Election. Both organizations serve as national, non-partisan grassroots charitable organizations.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM): NCCM is a national independent Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. It is comparable to MAC's interfaith and Charter-challenge work but focuses on policy/advocacy rather than operating schools, masajid, and community centres.
• Canadian Muslim Congress: Canadian Muslim Congress is a national civic-engagement and advocacy organization for Canadian Muslims. It overlaps with MAC's interfaith and civic-engagement work (notably the #GetOutTheVote partnership with TCMV) but does not operate schools or community centres at MAC's scale.
• Sound Vision Canada: Sound Vision is a North American Muslim media and educational nonprofit producing Islamic content for families and youth. It overlaps with MAC's content library and digital educational resources but is media-focused rather than operating physical schools/masajid.

Direct peers

• Islamic Relief Canada: Islamic Relief Canada is a registered Canadian Muslim charity delivering humanitarian aid, development programs, and community services nationwide. It is directly comparable to MAC as a faith-rooted, donation-funded nonprofit serving Canadian Muslim communities with multi-city operations and a broad program portfolio.
• DawaNet: DawaNet is a Canadian Muslim nonprofit focused on digital outreach, dawah resources, and youth engagement. It overlaps with MAC's MAC eLearning, Connect Hub, and youth program offerings, though it operates primarily through digital channels rather than physical schools/centres.
• ISNA Canada (Islamic Society of North America - Canada): ISNA Canada is a national umbrella Muslim organization running mosques, schools, conventions, and youth programs across Canada. It is directly comparable to MAC as a peer national grassroots movement with chapter-based operations, religious education, and major annual conventions.
• Aga Khan Foundation Canada: Aga Khan Foundation Canada is a major Ismaili Muslim charitable organization operating national programs in education, health, and community development with strong institutional infrastructure. It is comparable to MAC as a faith-rooted Canadian nonprofit with schools, community centres, and civil-society engagement across multiple provinces.

Regional players

• Ummah Charitable Foundation: Ummah Charitable Foundation is a smaller Canadian Muslim charity delivering community services, youth programs, and humanitarian aid. It is comparable to MAC's grassroots service model but at materially smaller scale and narrower geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/macnational
• YouTubeyoutube.com/macchanneltv
• Facebookfacebook.com/MACMontrealChapter
• LinkedInfacebook.com/MACTorontoChapter
• Instagraminstagram.com/macnational

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Muslim Association of Canada (MAC)