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A former Manitoba Progressive Conservative Party leadership candidate is suing the province, two wildlife officials and three NDP cabinet ministers for preventing his ecotourism company from using off-road vehicles to view polar bears east of Churchill.
In a statement of claim filed Dec. 22, Lazy Bear Expeditions and its owner Wally Dodrich asked the Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench to declare that his company is entitled to two off-road vehicle permits and to force the province to issue those permits.
Dowdrich also asked the court to declare that officials involved in the 2025 decision not to renew two permits originally issued to Lazy Bear in 2020 committed abuse, negligence, bad faith, conspiracy, wrongful conduct, economic interference and discrimination based on political orientation.
The statement of claim lists NDP ministers responsible for natural resources, business and the environment as defendants, without naming them. The lawsuit also names Wildlife Division Director and Conservation Officer Jan Van Nest as defendants.
“Defendants knew or were reckless about the fact that their decisions and actions were unlawful and would have harmed Lazy Bear’s business, destroyed its long-standing contracts and relationships with international tour operators and suppliers, and caused Lazy Bear multimillion-dollar losses,” Dowdrich said in the lawsuit.
This is the latest of several legal actions taken by Dowdrich since Feb. 27, 2025, when the province sent Lazy Bear a letter informing the company that it would not be permitted to operate polar bear viewing vehicles off roads in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area for the 2025-2026 season.
In a motion filed March 26, Dowdrich asked the court to review the wildlife department's decision. He later sought an injunction to reinstate the licenses of the two vehicles.
Although a decision on the review has not yet been made, according to Manitoba court records, Dowdrich's application for an injunction was first denied in April and then again, on appeal, in June.
In the new lawsuit, Dowdrich claims the province did not issue Lazy Bear's off-road polar bear viewing permits to protect and put pressure on the “long-standing duopoly enjoyed by Lazy's Bear's competitors,” Frontiers North Adventures and Great White Bear Tours, which have 18 off-road permits between them.
In his statement, Dowdrich alleges the province colluded or colluded with Frontiers North and Great White Bear “to destroy Lazy Bear's competitive position in the lucrative polar bear viewing tour market” in the Churchill Wildlife Management Area.
A representative for Frontiers North declined to comment, and a representative for Great White Bear did not respond to a request for comment. Neither company is named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Dowdrich also says in his statement that the province punished him “without a lawful purpose,” including his “alleged political beliefs and associations” and his candidacy for Manitoba PC leader in 2025.
Dowdrich also claims in the suit that he is the victim of “false allegations” that Lazy Bear received two off-road vehicle permits in 2020 from the former PC government “through allegedly improper means.”
In addition to renewing the two permits, Dowdrich is seeking unspecified damages for loss of revenue and profits in 2025, loss of existing and prospective contracts with tour operators, loss of supplier relationships, loss of market share, wasted travel expenses and damage to his reputation.
The allegations have not been tested in court. No objections were filed.
The provincial public service declined to comment on behalf of wildlife division director and conservationist Van Nest.
“It would be inappropriate for the province to comment on the matter in court,” the public service said in a statement that was not attributed to any official.
Ben Leahy, a government spokesman, also declined to comment on the three cabinet ministers listed as defendants in the lawsuit.
“Our government is currently awaiting resolution of a separate lawsuit with the plaintiff,” Leahy said in a statement, referring to the request for judicial review.
In December, Dowdrich said he intended to stand in the next provincial election as a PC candidate for the Turtle Mountain constituency.
