Halal Expo Canada 2026 
​​
​Conference Program Schedule

APPLY TO SPEAK

---

THEME: Shaping the Future of Canada’s Halal Economy: Innovation,


Compliance, Sustainability & Global Growth


Location: Toronto, Canada


Dates: June 10-11, 2026

---

​DAY 1 - Wednesday | June 10, 2026


CANADA’S HALAL MARKET: CONSUMERS, COMPLIANCE & INDUSTRY

TRANSFORMATION

​REGISTRATION - 9:30 am - 10:00 am  
​ 

OFFICIAL RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY - 10:30 am - 10:45 am

Master of Ceremonies

​- Asim Malik

---

Opening Keynote - 10:45 AM – 11:10 AM 
Speaker: Dr. Hamid Slimi
President - Council of Imam

Canada’s Halal Economy in 2030: Trends, Opportunities & Global Positioning

Dr. Hamid Slimi
President - Council of Imam

---

Keynote Session 1 - 11:30 AM – 11:45 AM
Speaker: Iman Ali
Consultant - DinarStandard

Halal Trade & Economy : Canada's $15.8B Muslim Market: The Halal Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight 

• Canada’s rapidly growing halal consumer market
• The rise of mainstream halal retail in Canada
• Global halal economy projections and investment opportunities
• Canada’s role as a North American halal export hub
• Opportunities in food, ingredients, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, logistics & tourism

---

Iman Ali
Consultant - DinarStandard

---

Break and Networking / Cooking Demonstrations - 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM 

---

Keynote Session 2 - 1:00 pm -1:15 pm
Speaker: Mahdewi Silky
Trade Attache - Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Ottawa

Halal Trade and Economy - Halal Trade in Asia

Mahdewi Silky
Trade Attache - Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Ottawa

---

Panel Discussion - 1:15 pm - 2:00 pm
Panelists: 
Mahdewi Silky
Trade Attache - Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Ottawa
Ramata Ba
Trade Commission - Embassy of Canada in Malaysia 

Halal Trade in Asia: Market Expansion, Trade Opportunities & Regional Collaboration

This panel discussion aims to highlight:

• Emerging halal trade opportunities across Asia
• Government initiatives supporting halal industry growth
• Cross-border trade and investment collaboration
• Export development and market access strategies
• The role of ASEAN and Asian economies in the global halal market

Mahdewi Silky
Trade Attache - Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, Ottawa

Ramata Ba
Trade Commission - Embassy of Canada in Malaysia 

---

Session 3: 2:00 pm  -  2:15 pm 
Keynote Speaker: Silvi Mustikawati 
Director - Indonesia Trade Promotion Center

Indonesia and its Halal Certification System 

Silvi Mustikawati 
Director - Indonesia Trade Promotion Center

---

Panel Discussion - 2:15 pm - 2:40 pm
Panelists: Dr. Hamid Slimi - Council of Imam
Omar Suberdar - Halal Monitoring Authority (HMA)
Mouhamed Sarr - Halal Montreal Certification Authority (HMCA)​
Musaab Maniar - ISNA Canada​
Silvi Mustikawati - Indonesia Trade Promotion Center​

​
Halal Certification in Canada: Building Trust in a Fragmented Market

• Challenges with multiple certification standards
• Consumer confusion and trust issues
• Export compliance requirements for GCC & Southeast Asia
• Digital traceability, QR verification & blockchain solutions
• The future of unified halal standards in Canada

Fireside Panel Chat

​The Business of Trust: Protecting Integrity in the Halal Industry

• Addressing fraud, mislabeling and compliance gaps
• Transparency across the supply chain
• Role of certifiers, regulators and industry leaders
• Building consumer confidence through accountability

Dr. Hamid Slimi 
Council of Imam

Mouhamed Sarr
Halal Montreal Certification Authority (HMCA)

Silvi Mustikawati 
Indonesia Trade Promotion Center

Omar Suberdar 
Halal Monitoring Authority (HMA)

Musaab Maniar
ISNA Canada

Cooking Demo 2:  2:15 - 3:30 

​
Interactive Demo

---

Keynote Session 4 - 3:30 PM – 3:45 PM
Speaker: Taha Ghayyur
Senior Vice President - Isound Vision Canada

Keynote Session: Islamic Media and Its Challenges

Taha Ghayyur
Senior Vice President - Isound Vision Canada

---

Panel Discussion: Question and Answer
3:45 pm - 4:30 pm
​
Moderator: Aqib Khan - Founder at TruePixel Group
Panellist: Taha Ghayyur - Senior Vice President at ISound Vision Canada
Emad Ahmed - Founder at Halal or Nothing ​

Aqib Khan
Founder at TruePixel Group

Taha Ghayyur
Senior Vice President at ISound Vision
​Canada

Emad Ahmed
​Founder at Halal or Nothing 

---

Closing Remarks
4:30 PM - 5:00 PM

---

​DAY 2 – Thursday | June 11, 2026
​

INVESTMENT, TRADE & THE FUTURE OF HALAL IN CANADA

---

Morning Industry Keynote 
Keynote Session 5  - 11:00 AM – 11:20 AM
Speaker: Aqib Khan
Founder at TruePixel Group

Beyond Certification: How Visibility Drives Growth in the Global Halal Economy 

Aqib Khan
Founder at TruePixel Group

---

PRODUCT PRESENTATION: SAJJADA INC.
11:45 AM - 12:00 PM

---

BREAK & COOKING DEMO
​12:00 PM – 1:30 PM

---

Session 6 - 1:30 PM – 1:45 PM
Speaker: Rehan Saeed
Vice President - AYA Financial Inc.
​
Scaling Halal Businesses: Investment, Funding & Growth Strategies

• Access to capital for halal SMEs and startups
• Islamic finance and ethical investment models
• Venture capital opportunities in halal sectors
• Franchise growth and expansion strategies
• Success stories from North American halal entrepreneurs

Rehan Saeed
Vice President - AYA Financial Inc.

---

Investor Panel:​ 1:50 PM – 2:15 PM
Panelists: 
Rehan Saeed
Vice President - AYA Financial Inc.
Hassan Abbasi
Government Grants Consultant - Agri Flow Funding
Junaid Alam 
Head of Islamic Banking at Habib Canadian Bank
Fathi Abu Farah
IPG | Park Russel

Where Investors Are Placing Their Bets in the Halal Economy

• High-growth sectors attracting investment
• Food innovation, tech and wellness opportunities
• What investors look for in halal startups
• M&A trends and strategic partnerships

Rehan Saeed
Vice President - AYA Financial Inc.

Junaid Alam 
Head of Islamic Banking
​at Habib Canadian Bank

Hassan Abbasi
Government Grants Consultant - Agri Flow Funding

Fathi Abu Farah
IPG | Park Russel

---

COOKING DEMO - 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM

---

Keynote Session 7: 3:30 PM - 3:50 PM
Speaker: Salman Abedin
Instructor at TriOs College

The Future of Halal Branding: Beyond Certification

• Building premium halal lifestyle brands
• Storytelling, authenticity & cultural relevance
• Influencer partnerships and community-led marketing
• TikTok, Instagram & creator economy strategies
• Building loyalty with younger Muslim consumers

Salman Abedin
Instructor at TriOs College

---

One on One Discussion 

Interactive Workshop - 3:50 PM - 4:20 PM
Speakers: Salman Abedin & Aqib Khan

Practical Growth Strategies for Halal Brands in 2026

• AI tools for marketing automation
• Retail pitch strategies for buyers
• Export readiness checklist
• Performance marketing & ROI tracking
• Building scalable direct-to-consumer brands

Salman Abedin
Instructor at TriOs College

Aqib Khan
Founder at TruePixel Group

APPLY TO SPEAK