Community Rallies Behind Beloved Mississauga Florist Who Fears Bad-Faith Eviction After 35 Years in Business
MISSISSAUGA, ON , Nov. 13, 2025 /CNW/ - For more than 35 years, Mums Flowers has been a place where Mississauga comes to mark life's celebrations and milestones, earning it multiple accolades along the way, including Mississauga's 2024 Platinum Readers' Choice Award for Best Floral Designer.
Now, for its sole proprietor, Nasim Dhalla, at 69 years old, she faces the fight of her life to keep her doors open and has filed a lawsuit against Kaneff Group (Court File No. CV-25-00005802-0000).
Amidst the record heat wave in the GTA last summer, the shop's air conditioning failed, putting her business at a standstill.
To replace the air conditioner, her Landlord, the Kaneff Group, then demanded full payment of over $25,000, including 15% in admin fees and 7% in interest. Kaneff Group gave her two options: pay over two years, or all at once. This is despite the estimated useful life of almost 20 years, Dhalla's remaining term of just two years, and her inability to renew her lease.
When Dhalla disputed the charges, she was served with a default notice and threatened with eviction. The Landlord has since applied unexplained charges to her rent ledger and has refused to provide any clarity why they have.
With base rent more than doubled and thin margins, Dhalla is in a precarious position and fears she will have to close up shop and end her career in disgrace.
A tenant of over three decades, Dhalla has built a loyal customer base that spans generations -- including the late landlord Mr. Ignat Kaneff and his wife, who were longtime patrons.
"When Mr. Kaneff passed, Nasim provided funeral flowers at no charge," recalls Denise Scapinello, owner of the Flower Cellar, who has worked with Dhalla for decades.
"It's just who she is -- generous, respectful, and kind."
However, after Mr. Kaneff's passing in 2020, new management took over, and relations soured.
To those who have worked alongside Dhalla, the dispute represents a moral wrong.
"If Mr. Kaneff were alive, this would not be happening," Scapinello adds. "And this is what they're doing to her? It's despicable."
"Her work has touched countless lives," says Liz Lupson, who has known Dhalla for 25 years.
"She's a pillar in Mississauga. To lose her business would be an incredible loss to the community."
The matter has also caught the attention of experts. Dr. Sarah Saska, Dhalla's client and co-founder and CEO of Feminuity, notes that the situation reflects broader systemic inequities.
"As a woman in her senior years, a racialized woman, and an active member of the Ismaili Muslim community, Mrs. Dhalla is navigating a web of systemic barriers," says Dr. Saska.
"When a landlord forces out a small business like Mums Flowers, they are not just evicting a tenant. They are dismantling part of our shared history, our culture, and our collective memory."
For those who have ordered a bouquet from Mums Flowers, walked in to find the perfect arrangement for a special occasion, or been greeted by Dhalla's kindness, the stakes could not be clearer.
SOURCE EVERLEX LPC
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