It was founded with the intention to propagate Humanistic Buddhism to the local community in the Greater Toronto Area, which emphasizes bringing Buddhist teaching into our daily lives and maintaining harmony with the environment, society, each other and within ourselves.

The building includes a magnificent main shrine, tea house (Water Drop Teahouse), traditional Chan meditation hall, Buddhist cultural museum, library, and bookstore.

Fo Guang Shan, which means “Buddha’s Light Mountain” was founded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun in 1967 in Taiwan according to the principles of Humanistic Buddhism.

During his visit, the Toronto devotees also requested a continuing monastic presence through the creation of an International Buddhist Progress Society (IBPS) centre where Dharma classes, chanting sessions and family-oriented activities could be organized.

The finished building included the main shrine, a traditional meditation hall, a cultural museum, a modern conference room, a bookstore, a library, and a tea house.