A dispute between the City of Mississauga and Mohamad Fakih is escalating as the prominent restaurant chain owner has released a new statement slamming Mayor Carolyn Parrish over claims she made about what led to the renaming of Paramount Fine Foods Centre.
Fakih said in a statement posted on social media Thursday that the “public narrative” presented by Parrish “does not reflect the actual facts.”
“This is not a case of Paramount refusing to pay. To demonstrate my commitment to paying the amount, Paramount delivered cheques to the City for the full amount based on the agreed payment terms. I have been actively trying to resolve this matter since December,” he said, accusing the city of introducing additional conditions and making unreasonable demands.
Earlier this week, the City of Mississauga announced that it was terminating its naming-rights deal with Fakih’s Paramount Fine Foods, claiming that the company owes $1.6 million.
“The City’s primary goal is protecting taxpayer dollars,” the news release read. “To recoup these costs, the City will be pursuing legal action in the coming weeks.”
In a separate statement, Parrish reiterated the claims made by the city and also said that it was “unfortunate” that Fakih had chosen to “move the discussions into the public.
Fakih disputed the city’s claim that it was a “unilateral termination” and said he had proof demonstrating it was false, including text messages with the mayor.
“When I reassumed control of Paramount Fine Foods in 2025, I no longer believed the sponsorship arrangement was viable. Following discussions I personally had with the Mayor, we mutually agreed to end the sponsorship,” Fakih said, adding that the outstanding amount was an obligation that existed before he resumed his role.
“But because I love this city and respect the taxpayers of Mississauga, I will always be committed to paying the agreed owing amount. I have never waivered. I am not in the business of disclosing confidential communication on social media. But if I need to, I will release these messages because I will not allow a misleading narrative to stand unchallenged,” Fakih said.
The Paramount Fine Foods CEO expressed his disappointment with Parrish, who, he said, is publicly targeting his business that has contributed millions to her city and threatening to take legal action.
He added that it is unnecessary to prolong the “public dispute” and spend taxpayer dollars on a legal action, as he’s been willing to pay for months.
Fakih criticized Parrish’s handling of the matter, saying he is “astounded.”
“This was a solvable matter. Instead, it was turned into a public spectacle. Mississauga residents deserve honesty and leadership focused on solving problems, not creating public fights,” he said.
City responds
In a statement, the City of Mississauga said it will not negotiate in public but responded to Fakih’s claim about the cheques that were delivered.
“The fact is the City has been trying to get Paramount Fine Foods to pay what it legally owes for quite some time. That figure is $1.6 million. The post-dated cheques received are not actual payments and insufficient to meet the full amount owed to the City today,” the statement read.
The city maintained that it will commence legal action against Paramount Fine Foods.
“This is consistent with how the City handles all matters where it is owed payment. The City will soon file a claim in court. At this time, the City has no further comment,” the statement concluded.
The city said Paramount Fine Foods Centre will be temporarily named “Mississauga Sports and Entertainment Centre” starting June 1, while it looks for a new naming sponsor.
The venue is home to the Toronto Raptors’ affiliate, the Raptors 905, which plays in the NBA G League.
