A Manitoba judge has ruled that Natural Resources Minister Ian Bushie must review the decision to deny permits to a company that used to offer polar bear tours in large vehicles east of Churchill. The court found that the province’s refusal to renew two tundra vehicle permits for Lazy Bear Expeditions for the upcoming polar bear viewing season was unjustified. The judge questioned the government’s reasoning that reducing the number of vehicles from 20 to 18 would better protect polar bears.
The court highlighted that other ecotourism companies in the area have a total of 18 permits to operate similar vehicles off-road. The decision to revoke the permits issued to Lazy Bear was based on concerns about the polar bear population decline and habituation to vehicle presence. However, the judge pointed out that stationary lodges operated by competing companies may pose a greater threat to polar bears than mobile vehicles.
The ruling suggested that the province’s decision may have been influenced by ongoing legal disputes rather than genuine conservation concerns. The judge recommended revising the permit allocation process to ensure fairness and transparency in the future. The owner of Lazy Bear, Wally Daudrich, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision and indicated plans to pursue further legal action against the province regarding the permit issue.
The NDP government stated it would review the court ruling before determining its next steps. Representatives from other tour companies involved in the matter declined to comment or did not respond to requests for feedback.