GTA Gurdwaras Named in $15M Lawsuit as Canada and India Open High-Level Dialogue in Toronto
Toronto is at the centre of two major South Asian community stories this week. A civil lawsuit has named former federal MP Raj Grewal, two well-known GTA Gurdwaras, and their leadership in a dispute over $15 million in loans allegedly secured while the former politician's debts had reached more than $200 million. Meanwhile, Canada's Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne hosted India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Toronto for the inaugural Canada-India Finance Ministers' Economic and Financial Dialogue, signalling a deepening of bilateral ties. And Toronto's Tamil community received long-awaited planning approvals that bring a community centre project closer to construction.
🤝 Raj Grewal and Two GTA Gurdwaras Named in $15M Loan Lawsuit
Mississauga-based lawyer and former Brampton MP Raj Grewal, along with two well-known GTA Gurdwaras, have been named as defendants in a civil lawsuit filed by Hamilton-based private lenders. The lawsuit, filed on September 4, 2026, claims that the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto, known as the Etobicoke Gurdwara, and Brampton's Nanaksar Gurdwara were used to secure $15 million in loans while Grewal was more than $200 million in debt across approximately two dozen other lawsuits. Amarjit Singh Deol, president of both temples, and Gurmail Singh Nirman, treasurer of the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto, are also named as defendants. Lenders SSMT Management Inc. and Oculus Mortgage GP Inc. provided the funds at a 24 per cent interest rate requiring $300,000 in monthly payments, and since May more than $1.5 million in interest has gone unpaid. A separate case involving approximately $6 million in counterfeit cheques deposited by a lawyer at Grewal's firm, RSG Law, resulted in a $250,000 wire payment from RSG's trust account to the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto on April 14. Grewal's lawyer Simon Bieber said in September he understood the matter had been resolved, without addressing the substance of the claims. [1]
🗳️ Canada and India Finance Ministers Hold Inaugural High-Level Dialogue in Toronto
Canada's Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne hosted India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Toronto on August 27, 2026, for the Inaugural Finance Ministers' Economic and Financial Dialogue. The meeting was billed by Champagne's office as focused on economic development, financial sector cooperation, and shared international priorities, with a 8:30 a.m. start and a joint media availability scheduled for 10:30 a.m. The meeting came just two days after Champagne and his cabinet colleagues outlined Canada's plan to roll out dollar-for-dollar countertariffs on a wide range of American products. The dialogue with Sitharaman reflected a continued effort by both governments to deepen bilateral economic ties. The choice of Toronto as the venue for the inaugural edition of this high-level bilateral format underscored the city's role as a hub connecting South Asian diaspora communities with Canadian federal policy, with the pair also set to discuss advancing Canada and India's shared economic interests following the morning event. [4]
🤝 Toronto Tamil Community Centre Clears Planning Approvals, Moves Toward Construction
The Toronto Tamil Community Centre has moved a step closer to construction after receiving the planning approvals needed to proceed, according to Ontario Construction News. The approvals represent a significant regulatory milestone for the project, clearing a threshold that community centres typically must pass before construction tenders and financing can be formally arranged. For Toronto's Tamil diaspora, one of the largest Tamil communities outside South Asia, a dedicated community centre would serve as a gathering place for cultural programming, settlement services, language preservation, and intergenerational connection. The planning approval indicates the project has cleared the city's land use and development review process and is now positioned to advance toward the construction phase. Ontario Construction News, which tracks building activity across the province, reported the approval as a notable entry in the architecture and planning category, reflecting the scale and significance of the project. [5]
Sources: [1] The Pointer · [4] iPolitics · [5] Ontario Construction News