A growing public dispute between the City of Mississauga and prominent entrepreneur Mohamad Fakih has intensified after the restaurant chain owner publicly accused Mayor Carolyn Parrish of presenting a misleading narrative regarding the termination of the naming-rights agreement for the city’s major sports venue.
Fakih, founder and CEO of Paramount Fine Foods, released a strongly worded statement Thursday disputing claims made by the city that his company failed to meet its financial obligations under the naming-rights sponsorship agreement tied to the Paramount Fine Foods Centre.
Earlier this week, the City of Mississauga announced it was terminating the sponsorship agreement and temporarily renaming the venue the “Mississauga Sports and Entertainment Centre” beginning June 1 while officials search for a new corporate sponsor.
City officials alleged that Paramount Fine Foods owes approximately $1.6 million under the agreement and warned that legal action would soon follow in an effort to protect taxpayer dollars and recover outstanding costs.
However, Fakih strongly rejected the suggestion that Paramount refused to pay.
In his public statement, Fakih said his company had already delivered cheques to the city for the full amount based on previously agreed payment terms and claimed he had been attempting to resolve the matter privately since December.
“This is not a case of Paramount refusing to pay,” Fakih stated, accusing the city of introducing new conditions and making what he described as unreasonable demands during negotiations.
The dispute escalated further after Mayor Parrish publicly reiterated the city’s position and criticized Fakih for taking the disagreement into the public sphere.
Fakih responded by claiming the city’s portrayal of events does not accurately reflect the discussions that took place between himself and the mayor.
According to Fakih, after reassuming control of Paramount Fine Foods in 2025, he personally discussed the sponsorship arrangement with Parrish and mutually agreed that ending the naming-rights partnership made sense for both sides.
He also claimed to possess text messages and communications supporting his version of events and warned that he may release them publicly if necessary to challenge what he called a “misleading narrative.”
“I am not in the business of disclosing confidential communication on social media,” Fakih said. “But if I need to, I will release these messages because I will not allow a misleading narrative to stand unchallenged.”
The businessman further expressed disappointment that the disagreement had become a public conflict, arguing that the issue could have been resolved privately without legal threats or political escalation.
“I am astounded,” Fakih said, criticizing Parrish’s handling of the matter. “This was a solvable matter. Instead, it was turned into a public spectacle.”
He also emphasized Paramount Fine Foods’ longstanding contributions to Mississauga’s economy and community, saying it was disappointing to see the city publicly target a business that had invested heavily in the municipality over many years.
Fakih argued that pursuing legal action would unnecessarily prolong the dispute and potentially waste taxpayer dollars, particularly since he insists he has remained willing to pay the outstanding amount.
The City of Mississauga has not yet publicly responded to Fakih’s latest allegations.
The venue at the centre of the controversy serves as one of Mississauga’s primary sports and entertainment facilities and is home to the Raptors 905, the developmental affiliate team of the Toronto Raptors.
The dispute is now drawing significant public attention across the Greater Toronto Area as it pits one of Canada’s most recognizable restaurant entrepreneurs against one of Ontario’s largest municipalities in an increasingly personal and political battle over business agreements, public accountability, and city leadership.
As tensions continue rising, the controversy also raises broader questions about how municipalities manage sponsorship partnerships, public communication, and relationships with major local businesses that contribute to the economic and cultural identity of their communities.