Bradford isn’t saying goodbye, just so long, to Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at (AMJ) Canada’s annual Jalsa Salana conference.
In a recorded vote during committee of the whole Tuesday, Sept. 17, five of council’s nine members voted against approving AMJ’s application to host the event from July 4-6, 2025 at the Hadiqa Ahmad Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, 3078 Line 11 in Bradford.
The event was anticipated to draw 18,000-25,000 people, similar to the more than 20,000 people who had registered by opening day of AMJ’s first full-scale outdoor conference in Bradford a little more than two months ago.
“We have placed Bradford on the map,” Farhan Khokhar, vice-president of AMJ Canada said, comparing the event to others held in the U.K. and Germany and noting an additional 59,000 members across the country and the world watched their video feed of the event online.
Only Ward 1 Coun. Cheraldean Duhaney, Ward 2 Coun. Jonathan Scott, Deputy Mayor Raj Sandhu and Mayor James Leduc voted in favour of the 2025 event, in contrast to the unanimous support provided last year for the 2024 event.
“The community needs to know how we voted when we were pushing millions of dollars away,” Sandhu said in response to the request for a recorded vote.
He said according to reports from AMJ, the organization had spent more than $1 million locally on the conference including roughly: $143,000 at Home Depot, $140,000 at Battlefield Rental, $115,000 at The Sarjeant Co., $100,000 at Gwillimdale Farms, $28,000 at Petro Canada, $18,000 at Tim Hortons, plus more at Osmows, Walmart, Dollarama, Canadian Tire, Bradford Rental and more.
Despite those economic benefits, multiple councillors suggested the annual event should rotate around various AMJ properties across the province and country, and only be held in Bradford every few years.
That followed several comments from three residents during open forum who voiced concerns about the conference.
Angelle Jakac said that she and her father both experienced issues getting to and from their nearby home, with traffic on Line 11 backed up “as far as the eye can see,” which was not only an inconvenience, but also a safety issue.
That was echoed by Mara Aron, who said it was “incredibly unfair to us” nearby residents who were “almost paralyzed,” by the “chaotic,” “insane” amount of traffic, adding “the venue is the most inappropriate location for this event.”
To that end, Kim Kneeshaw proposed future events include a road pass to ensure local residents can come and go as “common sense.”
Some councillors echoed the traffic concerns from both their own experience as well as recollections of calls and emails from residents.
Despite complimenting the event as being “extremely well organized,” Ward 5 Coun. Peter Ferragine said the roads were “absolutely rammed” with traffic, and the drive home moved at “a snail’s pace.”
“That’s not acceptable,” he said, adding rural roads are not meant to support a convention, which should instead be held at a proper convention centre.
Both the mayor and deputy mayor said they had spoken with police and were assured the traffic issues were not the result of the convention, but rather several unrelated collisions nearby, including on Highway 400, which detoured traffic onto rural roads.
Other complaints involved the lack of cellular reception available to residents during the event, despite Khokhar explaining AMJ had erected an additional tower on the property to help prevent existing towers from being overwhelmed.
Ferragine also took issue with AMJ promoting the 2025 event before council had even had the chance to provide approvals, and as of Wednesday morning the event’s website still listed it for the July 2025 dates on the Bradford property.
Both Ferragine and Ward 3 Coun. Ben Verkaik also raised concerns over AMJ’s ability to meet their commitment of reverting the property to its prior state based on new roads created and concrete poured for supports.
While Khokhar explained the property will be seeded and returned to hay production, Verkaik said that can be grown “almost anywhere” and noted the “prime agricultural land,” was previously used to grow carrots, potatoes and soybeans, according to AMJ’s own reporting.
“I ran for council to preserve farmland, and I’m committed to that,” he said.
Despite being “really impressed” by the “logistically beautiful operation,” Ward 4 Coun. Joseph Giordano went a step further and compared the site alterations, including trenches dug for cables, with tactics he’s seen from developers who feel it’s better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.
“I feel a little duped,” he said, and also noted the request for 2025 comes before any staff report reviewing the outcomes of the 2024 event.
Even though this year’s event only just wrapped up on July 7, by July 30, Shamoon Rashi had already made the special event application for 2025, according to a report from Nick Warman, manager of recreation and client services, who recommended council approve the conference in principle, conditional on all requirements being satisfied and permits issued.
The report notes many of the planning documents had already been submitted, including the full site plan, traffic plan, safety and emergency plan, and more.
Warman also recommended council approve an exemption under the noise control bylaw between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on the event days as well as for the same time from June 27 to July 3, 2025 for set up and testing.
Recommendations from committee of the whole are considered for approval at the next regular council meeting.
