Toronto: Sikh temples drawn into $15M Raj Grewal debt case
Two prominent Ontario Gurdwaras have been named in a civil lawsuit connected to the financial collapse of former Liberal MP Raj Grewal and his law firm RSG Law, in the latest development in a widening series of cases involving approximately $200 million in accumulated debt. The Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto and Brampton's Nanaksar Gurdwara are both named as defendants, alongside individuals who served in leadership roles at the temples. Meanwhile, the Toronto District School Board marks its tenth year celebrating Sikh Heritage Month with student programming centred on the values of Sangat and Seva.
🤝 Two GTA Gurdwaras Named in $15M Raj Grewal Debt Lawsuit
Mississauga-based lawyer and former Brampton MP Raj Grewal is at the centre of a new civil lawsuit implicating two well-known Greater Toronto Area Gurdwaras in a $15 million loan dispute. The Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto, commonly known as the Etobicoke Gurdwara, and Brampton's Nanaksar Gurdwara are named as defendants alongside Amarjit Singh Deol, who serves as president of both institutions, and Gurmail Singh Nirman, listed as treasurer and director of the Sikh Spiritual Centre Toronto. Court documents show that Grewal, his companies, and family members had accumulated more than $200 million in debt when the two Gurdwaras were used to secure the $15 million loan. Two Hamilton-based private lenders — SSMT Management Inc. and Oculus Mortgage GP Inc. — filed the lawsuit after interest-only payments on the loan, set at a rate of 24 percent and totalling $300,000 monthly, were missed beginning in May 2026. More than $1.5 million in interest remained unpaid at the time of filing. Grewal faces approximately two dozen separate lawsuits, and in a related case involving roughly $6 million in counterfeit cheques, a $250,000 wire payment was made from RSG Law's trust account directly to the Etobicoke Gurdwara in April. Grewal's lawyer claimed the latest matter had been resolved, as he had in at least one previous case. [2]
🪔 Toronto School Board Marks Tenth Year of Sikh Heritage Month Programming
The Toronto District School Board is celebrating its tenth consecutive year of formally recognizing Sikh Heritage Month in April, maintaining its distinction as the first school board in Canada to observe the occasion. The TDSB's 2026 programming centres on the theme 'Sangat atey Seva — Community and Service,' drawing on two foundational Sikh values: Sangat, the sacred gathering of the community for spiritual discourse, and Seva, the practice of selfless service extended to all without discrimination. The school board organized a wide range of learning opportunities for both elementary and secondary classrooms throughout the month, culminating in a virtual celebration that showcased winning student-created posters and videos exploring these themes. Among the highlights, students across the board were invited to participate in an interactive virtual session with Gurdeep Pandher, a Yukon-based Bhangra dance artist who lives off-grid near Lake Laberge and whose outdoor dance performances have reached millions of viewers worldwide. Students had the opportunity to ask questions during the live session. The TDSB's annual recognition aligns with Ontario's Sikh Heritage Month Act, passed in December 2013, and the federal government's own formal acknowledgement on April 30, 2019, both of which affirm the contribution of Sikhs to Canadian society. [5]
Sources: [2] The Pointer · [5] Toronto District School Board