Brampton politicians dodge resignation questions amid $49K hotel spending scandal

Two of four Brampton politicians caught up in a hotel spending scandal say they will repay the money in full, but refused to answer questions on whether they would step down while others have stayed silent on the issue that’s given Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s party a black eye.

The Ontario NDP has called on the province’s Integrity Commissioner to investigate the spending of Hardeep Grewal, the Member of Provincial Parliament for Brampton East and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Transportation and Brampton South MPP Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria.

Grewal was one of several Brampton MPPs called out by critics last week after learning Ontario PC members used some $121,000 in taxpayer dollars to stay at Toronto hotels despite living within commuting distance.

But he’s also come under fire for spending tax dollars on ads in a newspaper owned by his own father, like full-page advertisements promoting Grewal’s events including a summer BBQ. Ontario NDP leader Marit Styles says she’s asked the Integrity Commissioner to investigate.

Data from the NDP shows Grewal spent over $27,000 in hotels between 2023 and 2026, while Brampton Centre MPP and Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity Charmaine Williams expensed more than $15,000 on Toronto hotels. Amarjot Sandhu, who represents Brampton West, spent $4,027 while Brampton North MPP and Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Graham McGregor billed taxpayers $2,086.

INsauga.com has reached out to all four Brampton MPPs named in the scandal, with only Grewal and McGregor responding with the same word-for-word response.

“I will be reimbursing the legislature in full,” Grewal and McGregor both said in separate statements to INsauga.com.

Grewal admitted the error in advertising within his family, and said the ads were taken out in The Punjabi Post – “a popular ethnic news outlet in Brampton-a community with a large Punjabi speaking population.”

READ MORE: Will Brampton politicians resign over $40K hotel expenses?

“Prior to advertising, I should have consulted with the Integrity Commissioner and have since reached out to her office for advice,” he said in a statement to INsauga.com.

But neither Grewal or McGregor addressed specific questions put to them regarding the spending, including which hotels were stayed at and for how long, and why thye chose to spend taxpayer money on Toronto hotels while living in Brampton.

Brampton Centre MPP and Associate Minister of Women’s Social and Economic Opportunity Charmaine Williams (top left), Brampton West MPP Amarjot Sandhu (top right), Brampton East MPP Hardeep Grewal (bottom left) and Brampton North MPP and Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism Graham McGregor (bottom right).

They also didn’t say whether they would stay in his position of as Parliamentary Assistant to Sarkaria and Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism.

Grewal was the highest-spending offender of the Ontario PC MPPs caught up in the scandal, according to data from the NDP.

Toronto Willowdale MPP Stan Cho has resigned his post as minister of tourism, culture and gaming after spending some $16,000 in Toronto hotel stays expensed to tax payers. He will remain MPP for the riding, despite revelations this week that he expensed nearly $100,000 in food through his riding association, including a $6,970 meeting at a Blue Jays game.

Minister of Sport Neil Lumsden announced he is also retiring from cabinet and the legislature next month amid the spending scandal.

All of the Brampton MPPs caught up in the scandal billed some $49,253 to taxpayers and have positions in cabinet, but none have shown any signs of stepping down.

It was Ford’s own government that advised MPPs to book hotel rooms in Toronto on the taxpayer’s dime when night sittings of the legislature were scheduled, according to reports.

The premier has been fuming since news of the spending broke, and says all MPPs must pay back every penny of the “unacceptable” spending. He has declined to answer questions from reporters on whether Brampton MPPs involved in the scandal still have his support.

In May, Grewal was one of several Brampton MPPs called out by protesters for voting against a Bill 113 – a piece of legislation put forward by the NDP which would have removed a portion of the harmonized sales tax on some food items and non-alcoholic beverages.

Grewal also said in 2025 that he and his family were the target of racial slurs and threats while visiting a popular Ontario tourist town.