The Shia and Sunni communities purchased the 14-hectare (1.5 million square foot) site at the southwest corner of Bethesda Sideroad and Leslie Street, from Beth Olam Cemetery Corp., for $6.8 million, said Abdulhuq Ingar, who represents the Sunnis' Islamic Society of Toronto.
"It's a great opportunity for us, Sunni and Shia to work together," said Mr. Ingar, who estimates that about 80 per cent of Muslims in the GTA are Sunnis and 20 per cent are Shia. "We can co-exist, we can work together and become a model," he said. "It's Canadian values which have brought us together ... Canadian values which have inspired us and allowed us to have this Muslim cemetery for which we are thankful."
The fact that the vendors were Jewish "adds more gravy to the dinner," he said. "They were greatly helpful."
The site rests in Oak Ridges Ward 1 and while Councillor Greg Beros said that on paper the proposed cemetery is no more than a land use issue, he did find it appropriate such inclusiveness may be fostered in Richmond Hill.
"Richmond Hill is like a little bubble sometimes and I think many of us take this togetherness between all communities for granted," said Mr. Beros.
"The fact that these two groups are willing to work together here, I think says a lot and hopefully we can serve as an example for other communities," he added, noting a site plan still has to be submitted to, and approved by, the town.
Richmond Hill Muslim Association member and youth co-ordinator Jaffer Alam called the proposed cemetery - and more importantly the partnership between the two Muslim communities - a step in the right direction.
"In my family, we don't label each other as Sunni or Shia or anything," he said.
"In our eyes living with a sectarian view is silly and something my family is totally against, but for a lot of Muslims, even here in Canada, it's a big thing," commented Mr. Alam, whose father Dr. Abu Alam, is the Richmond Hill association's president and ran for mayor in the October municipal election.
"It's like any other form of racism, it's not healthy to close yourself off to a certain way of thinking because it's different from what you've been taught. Differences are good. That's what our country is about, we need to be racially and ethnically colour blind," he added.
The Shia and Sunni Muslims will operate independently as part of the Toronto Muslim Cemetery Corp. and will share resources to minimize costs and maintain the property.
Both Sunni and Shia Muslims have been looking for suitable cemetery plots in the GTA for years, but zoning and cost have posed problems.
Before any gravesites can be sold - at a cost now estimated at $700 per plot - the corporation has to have a cemetery licence.
Up until now there has only been one very small dedicated Shia Muslim cemetery in Markham, about half a hectare in size.
The new cemetery will accommodate the needs of the estimated community of more than 300,000 Muslims for at least 25 years, probably longer, said Sabi Ahsan, a Shia Muslim who helped co-ordinate the deal. But until authorities approve the site plan, the corporation won't know exactly how many plots there will be, he said.
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