On 16 October, the Aga Khan Garden (AKG), part of the University of Alberta (U of A) Botanic Garden, was formally opened with the presence of His Highness, Alberta Lieutenant-Governor Lois Mitchell, Premier Rachel Notley and U of A president David Turpin. Of the many projects the Aga Khan Development Network has undertaken to promote peace and well-being, theAKG is the most northerly based, a tribute to the U of A’s continuing relationship with the Aga Khan. The AKG opened to the public in late June and was greeted with rave reviews for its Woodland Bagh reflecting pool, stonework, outdoor amphitheatre, fountains and sunken floral beds. The garden’s motto is: No one leaves unchanged. It’s a sentiment not lost on its director.

On 17 October, the University of Calgary awarded His Highness an honorary doctor of laws degree, bestowing him the university’s highest academic honour. His Highness was praised for his contributions toward international development, commitment to inclusion and diversity by University President Elizabeth Cannon. President Cannon said about His Highness: "He is somebody who’s really reached beyond his own faith, bringing other faiths together and really bettering humanity in so many ways."