B.C. Attorney General Urges Canadian Companies to Rethink Business with ICE Amid Virginia Warehouse Sale Controversy

B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma urged Canadian companies to “think about their role” before entering or continuing business with United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), responding to scrutiny over a proposed sale of a Virginia warehouse tied to B.C. billionaire Jim Pattison for use as an ICE processing facility.

Her comments followed questions about a property owned by Jim Pattison Developments that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has signalled it intends to purchase, occupy and rehabilitate for ICE operations in Hanover County, Va.

The remarks place public pressure on Canadian firms that supply or contract with U.S. immigration enforcement, as advocates press Pattison not to advance the Virginia deal and point to contentious incidents involving ICE officers in the United States. Sharma said her government is watching those actions “with concern,” framing the issue as one that touches on human rights, corporate responsibility and the province’s broader relationship with U.S. institutions.

“Just like the rest of the world, we watch in horror about what’s happening there and I think that calls on business leaders across this province, and including the whole country, to think about their role in what is unfolding there, and to make decisions that would not lead to some of the outcomes that we’re seeing unfold in the States,” she said.

Her intervention highlights how a provincial cabinet minister – while not directly regulating cross‑border contracts – can use the office’s platform to signal expectations around ethical supply chains to B.C.-based multinationals that choose to work with foreign law‑enforcement agencies.

Letter outlines intent for Virginia site

Homeland Security notified the Hanover County planning department of its intent to “purchase, occupy and rehabilitate” the warehouse owned by Jim Pattison Developments, a real estate arm of the Jim Pattison Group.

The signal from Washington came in the form of a procedural letter, a standard step under local planning rules before a federal tenant can move ahead with a change in use. Any rehabilitation of the site for detention or processing purposes would also have to operate within the broader framework that governs U.S. immigration enforcement, including the powers granted to ICE under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Key details disclosed about the property and proposed ICE use:
– Owner: Jim Pattison Developments, part of the Jim Pattison Group.
– Location: Hanover County, Virginia.
– Proposed use: conversion into a holding and processing facility operated by ICE.
– Transaction status: Homeland Security has signalled intent in writing to acquire and upgrade the site for ICE processing, but a final sale has not been publicly confirmed.
– Financials:
– Purchase price by Jim Pattison Developments: about C$10.4 million in 2022.
– Expected valuation after improvements: around C$69 million.

Sharma’s remarks were prompted by questions about mounting calls for Pattison not to proceed with the deal, with critics citing the actions of ICE officers in the United States, including the killing of two U.S. citizens in Minnesota, and questioning whether Canadian capital should be used to underwrite such facilities.

Other Canadian ties to ICE

The Pattison property is not the only Canada-ICE connection drawing attention. The issue has become a wider test of how Canadian firms weigh profit, reputational risk and alignment with federal and provincial human-rights commitments when contracting with foreign enforcement agencies.

Current or recent Canadian links include:
– Vancouver-based tech firm Hootsuite secured a US$95,000 pilot project with ICE to monitor social media discussions about the agency, raising questions about how Canadian technology is deployed in support of surveillance and enforcement operations.
– Brampton, Ont.-based defence manufacturer Roshel has been earmarked for a bulk order of 20 armoured vehicles by ICE, illustrating how Canadian-made security hardware can enter U.S. immigration infrastructure.

While these deals are lawful and largely governed by federal export controls rather than provincial regulation, Sharma’s comments suggest B.C. is prepared to use political pressure and public expectation – rather than new statutes – to influence how businesses assess future contracts with ICE.

Who’s who and what their roles are

– Niki Sharma serves as British Columbia’s attorney general and deputy premier. Her office oversees provincial legal affairs, including the administration of justice, and provides legal advice to the B.C. government. She said her government is watching developments in the United States “with concern,” signalling that human-rights and rule‑of‑law considerations are increasingly viewed as part of the province’s economic decision‑making lens.
– The Jim Pattison Group spans sectors including real estate, automotive, media and groceries. The Virginia warehouse is held through Jim Pattison Developments, which manages commercial properties and investment holdings for the conglomerate.
– Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a U.S. federal agency under the Department of Homeland Security responsible for immigration enforcement and related investigations, including detention, deportation and workplace operations. The agency has faced sustained scrutiny from civil-liberties and migrant-rights groups over its use of detention facilities and enforcement tactics.
– The U.S. Department of Homeland Security coordinates federal efforts across immigration, border security and other national security functions and would be the purchaser of the Virginia property for ICE use. Its structure and mandate are set out in the legislation that created it in 2002, following the September 11 attacks, and it oversees ICE alongside other agencies such as Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration.

Procedurally, Homeland Security has sent a letter to the Hanover County planning department indicating its intent to purchase, occupy and rehabilitate the property. Local planning processes and federal procurement rules will determine whether the transaction proceeds, but Sharma’s comments underscore that, irrespective of final approvals in Virginia, Canadian companies involved with ICE can expect growing scrutiny at home over the choices they make.