Issmat Al-Akhali

Issmat Al-Akhali is a Halifax-based entrepreneur and the owner of Granville Hall, a student residence that has catered to the growing population of foreign students in Nova Scotia. With plans to expand his business to additional locations in Halifax and Charlottetown, his ambitions were recently put on hold due to a federal cap on foreign student permits in 2024, which has significantly reduced demand for student housing.