Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie presents Nav Bhatia with the Key to the City

Mayor Bonnie Crombie presented Nav Bhatia, known as the ‘Superfan’ for the Toronto Raptors, with a Key to the City on Wednesday, December 13 at Mississauga City Hall.

Bhatia is a Canadian community leader, a successful entrepreneur in the auto sales industry and is well known for his many business and charitable achievements. He is a philanthropist who started his own foundation, the Nav Bhatia Superfan Foundation, to spread his love of basketball through the creation of initiatives and opportunities for youth. He also stands as a positive role model for newcomers and immigrants.

“Nav has made it his mission to unite people of all ages and backgrounds through the game of basketball,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “He is a true champion for diversity and demonstrates that our strength as a city comes from celebrating our differences. His contributions to Paul Coffey Park’s four basketball courts, a community where he first planted roots in Canada, are making a real difference in the lives of our youth. Nav’s journey stands as an inspiration to us all and the Key to the City symbolizes our thanks for all that he’s done and all that he continues to do.”

“I am so honoured to receive this prestigious recognition. When I arrived in 1984, with very little but my hopes and dreams, Mississauga was a community where I found safety and opportunities. Mississauga was the perfect place for me to put down roots and much of what I have today, I owe to those humble beginings. That is why I feel so strongly that it’s my responsibility to give back. I am very thankful to receive this special recognition from Mayor Bonnie Crombie and the City of Mississauga – the best city, in the best country, in the world,” said Nav Bhatia.

About the Key to the City

The Key to the City of Mississauga is Mississauga’s most prestigious form of recognition. It is reserved for and bestowed upon esteemed community members, former residents and visitors whom the Mayor wishes to honour. It’s a sign of great achievement and distinction and is given to individuals who have positively impacted and changed our city for the better.

While primarily symbolic, the key signifies trust and freedom for the recipient to enter in and out of the city as they wish, knowing that Mississauga will always be their home.

During her term in office, Mayor Crombie has awarded keys to the following individuals:

• The late Hazel McCallion, former City of Mississauga Mayor
• Yoshinori Takenaka, Mayor of Kariya, Japan Mississauga’s sister city
• Homegrown tennis star Bianca Andreescu
• Lawrence Loh, for his significant contributions to the health and well-being of Mississauga residents during the COVID pandemic
• Rock band Triumph who formed in Mississauga in 1975 and went on to receive 25 Gold and Platinum Awards in Canada and the United States
• Mohamad Fakih, CEO and President of Paramount Fine Foods

About Nav Bhatia

Trained as an engineer, Nav Bhatia was unable to secure a job in his specialty when he first arrived in Canada so he took a job as a car salesman. He sold 127 cars in three months, which to date, remains a Hyundai sales record. He became manager of the dealership and today, owns three Hyundai dealerships.

Through the Nav Bhatia Superfan Foundation, Nav continues to build new and upgrade existing basketball courts for communities in Mississauga and across Canada. The foundation is a way to unite people of all backgrounds through the love of basketball.

He is a strong voice speaking out against discrimination and racism, something that he’s faced his whole life. He has partnered with World Vision’s ‘Rise Up Daughters’ of India initiative to build washrooms for female students in India’s schools, which helps increase their safety and privacy, allowing them to stay in school. To date, over 35 school washrooms have been built in some of the poorest villages of India.

Some of his other accolades include: being the first non-player to receive an NBA championship ring and being inducted by the NBA into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. He’s a dedicated fan, never missing a Toronto Raptors home game since he first started attending games in 1995.

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• Awards and Recognition