Ontario's Premier Accountability Dashboard · Queen's Park Watch
Amin Massoudi
Atlas Strategic Advisors
Estimated cost to Ontario
$225.0M
Ford's Principal Secretary until August 2022. On his last day in the premier's office, he formally adopted the name Atlas Strategic Advisors for his new lobbying firm. Atlas subsequently lobbied for the Convenience Industry Council of Canada (CICC) — representing Circle K, 7-Eleven, Loblaw, and Shell — on the expansion of beer and wine sales in convenience stores, one of Ford's signature policy changes. The Integrity Commissioner confirmed in 2024 that Massoudi broke lobbying rules by conducting unregistered lobbying and offering a Raptors ticket to a public office holder.
Connected Scandals
Ford broke a legally binding provincial contract to give grocery giants and convenience store chains the right to sell alcohol — handing corporations billions in new revenue while costing Ontario taxpayers $225 million upfront and a projected $1.4 billion in lost tax revenue by 2030.
Registered Atlas Strategic Advisors on the day he left the premier's office and immediately began lobbying for CICC — the convenience industry council whose members stood to gain from expanded alcohol sales. Ontario paid $225M to cancel the Beer Store contract early to enable convenience store alcohol sales. The Integrity Commissioner found Massoudi conducted unregistered lobbying and violated the one-year cooling-off period for former public office holders.
As grocery giants install AI-powered pricing systems that charge different customers different prices for the same food, Doug Ford told Ontarians he won't ban it — calling regulation "socialism" the same week his caucus voted down a consumer protection motion, while lobbyists for Loblaws enjoy direct access to his government.
As Doug Ford's Principal Secretary until August 2022, Massoudi registered his lobbying firm Atlas Strategic Advisors on his last day in government. He lobbied for the Convenience Industry Council of Canada — whose members include Loblaws — on alcohol expansion and red tape reduction. The Ford government is now declining to regulate Loblaws' surveillance pricing practices while Massoudi-connected lobbying interests remain active.