A Sikh-Canadian businessman who donated $10 million to healthcare projects in Brampton was honoured with Citizen Of The Year. Philanthropist and local business owner Bikram Dhillon started with a single gas station in Brantford back in 1999, Dhillon has grown his company BVD Group to 16 truck stops and over 850 partnering locations, becoming a major player in the trucking industry.

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff With News Files

BRAMPTON – A Sikh-Canadian businessman who donated $10 million to healthcare projects in Brampton was honoured with Citizen Of The Year.

Philanthropist and local business owner Bikram Dhillon started with a single gas station in Brantford back in 1999, Dhillon has grown his company BVD Group to 16 truck stops and over 850 partnering locations, becoming a major player in the trucking industry.

The company made a staggering $10 million donation to the William Osler Health System in June 2022, which Osler said would help with the transformation of healthcare in Brampton, and has gained appreciation from the city with the naming of Brampton’s Citizen of the Year.

“Dhillon is a local community builder who’s made transformative contributions to local health care in Brampton,” the City of Brampton said in a tweet congratulation Dhillon on the win.

The William Osler Health Foundation also honoured the donation by christening part of Brampton Civic Hospital as the Bikram S. Dhillon and Family South Tower. The foundation’s president Ken Mayhew called the gift a “transformative donation”  that showed the company’s “deep commitment to improving the health and well-being of our communities.”

Bikram said all four of his kids and his nine grandchildren were born in Osler hospitals, and hopes his donation “inspires others to give to our hospitals in whatever way they can.”

The Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness is set to become Brampton’s new hospital, with plans to include a multi-storey patient tower with 250 inpatient beds and space to grow, new outpatient services and day programs, and a second 24/7 full Emergency Department in Brampton.

Since 1974, the City of Brampton has recognized more than 3,500 outstanding residents in the areas of sports, arts, and community service.

For more information on the Brampton Citizens Awards and how to nominate someone for an award visit www.brampton.ca/citizensawards.