Nearly 1,000 prayer or “quiet” rooms have been designated across federal buildings, according to newly tabled documents, following an earlier push for religious accommodations for Muslim public servants.
Cabinet disclosed 934 prayer or “quiet” rooms in response to an Order Paper question from Bloc Québécois MP Martin Champoux, who asked how many such spaces exist on federal premises.
The total does not include another 306 rooms at passport and Employment Insurance offices managed by Employment and Social Development Canada and accessible to the public, according to Blacklock’s Reporter.
Federal departments stressed that many of the rooms are multipurpose spaces rather than dedicated religious facilities.
“These spaces are available to all employees and may be used for a range of purposes including private conversations, quiet reflection, prayer and informal collaboration,” Transport Canada said.
The department, which reported 63 such spaces, said rooms are not categorized according to whether they are used for prayer, wellness or other quiet activities.
Health Canada reported 101 rooms but similarly said it does not maintain specifically designated prayer rooms.
“Health Canada does not have specifically categorized prayer rooms,” the department said. “Isolated, enclosed rooms are categorized as wellness rooms or quiet rooms.”
The Public Prosecution Service reported 31 spaces, saying “all quiet rooms can also be used as prayer rooms,” while the Privy Council Office reported 21.
The disclosure follows an earlier campaign by Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s former Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, advocating greater religious accommodation for Muslim federal employees. Her position was abolished in February 2026 and replaced with a broader federal advisory council on rights, equality and inclusion.
In workplace material previously obtained through Access to Information, Elghawaby argued that barriers to religious accommodation could constitute workplace Islamophobia.
“Islamophobia in the workplace looks like many things,” she wrote. “It can manifest when Muslim employees face challenges in accessing reasonable accommodations for religious practices such as prayer breaks, fasting during Ramadan or dress code requirements.”
About two per cent of federal employees identified as Muslim in the 2024 data cited in the records.
Documents previously reported by Blacklock’s showed Elghawaby’s office was also preparing correspondence to deputy ministers concerning issues raised by the Muslim Federal Employees Network.
A Managers’ Guide To Supporting Muslim Employees produced by the network said Muslims have five obligatory daily prayers and that as many as three can fall during a standard 9-to-5 workday.
“Prayers must be performed within their allocated time periods which vary day to day,” the guide said, adding that prayer breaks typically take between 10 and 15 minutes.
The guide also advised managers about Islamic practices involving physical contact, saying “physical contact between opposite sexes unless married or closely related is forbidden.”
Elghawaby publicly promoted religious accommodation during her tenure. In 2024, she praised VIA Rail for piloting a contemplation space at its Ottawa station for passengers and employees who wanted a designated place to pray or meditate, calling it “a win for diversity and inclusion.”
Her former office was established in 2023 following deadly attacks targeting Muslims in Canada.
When Elghawaby left the position in February, she said its work had focused on ensuring Muslim Canadians could live with “dignity and equality.” The federal government thanked her for helping advance its efforts against Islamophobia and other forms of hate.
The newly disclosed figures do not establish that all 934 spaces were created as Muslim prayer rooms or as a result of Elghawaby’s advocacy. Departments explicitly described many of them as multipurpose quiet or wellness spaces that employees can also use for prayer.