Heavy rains have hit the south coast of British Columbia, raising flood risks. At the same time, Canadian conglomerate The Jim Pattison Group has pulled out of a sale of a U.S. warehouse that had been intended for use by the immigration agency ICE, after public pressure.
Heavy rain returns to B.C.’s south coast
A powerful new atmospheric front has struck the south coast of British Columbia, including parts of Metro Vancouver, bringing heavy rain and hazard warnings. Residents are once again reaching for umbrellas and raincoats as authorities urge caution on the roads and monitor river levels.
According to a warning posted on Castanet, a large portion of the province’s south coast—including the inner and west areas of Vancouver Island and communities of Metro Vancouver north of the Fraser River—is under a heavy precipitation advisory. The cause is a warm front that Environment Canada says is “drawing in moist, subtropical air.” This pattern, typical for the region, often produces prolonged, intense rainfall—especially in the fall and winter months, when warm, moist Pacific air meets cooler continental air.
Up to 100 millimetres of rain is expected across the region over the next 24 hours. While the heaviest rain should ease today, another spell of unsettled weather is expected by evening and will continue into Friday. Total rainfall in parts of Metro Vancouver could reach around 90 millimetres by Friday. But that won’t necessarily be the end of it: over the next three days, some locations could see total totals up to 200 millimetres. Those volumes create serious risks. The provincial River Forecast Centre has already issued a high flood risk outlook for the entire region, covering all of Vancouver Island and the south coast basin from Metro Vancouver to Powell River. That means “extended periods of moderate to heavy rain” could cause rapid rises in river and stream levels, potentially producing localized flooding.
Authorities strongly advise drivers to be extremely cautious and to allow extra travel time. Water will inevitably accumulate on roadways and in low-lying areas, increasing the risk of hydroplaning and reducing visibility. Residents in flood-prone neighbourhoods are also urged to follow forecast updates and warnings. The return of heavy rain after recent precipitation, as shown in the archival photo of a woman in a raincoat, is a reminder that autumn on Canada’s west coast is a time when nature can flex its muscles and requires readiness from both citizens and services.
Pattison warehouse sale to U.S. authorities will not proceed
In business circles in Canada and the U.S., news broke of a decision by one of Canada’s largest companies. Jim Pattison Developments, part of business magnate Jim Pattison’s empire, announced it will not sell its warehouse complex in Virginia to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. According to CityNews Vancouver, the U.S. agency had planned to use the facility as a processing centre for the immigration and customs agency ICE. The decision, details of which remain scarce, could have both commercial and political consequences given the sensitive nature of ICE’s work and the international context of migration policy.
Vancouver-based Jim Pattison Developments, part of The Jim Pattison Group, decided to withdraw from the sale of its warehouse in Virginia. The buyer had been the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which intended to use the site as a processing centre for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE is a powerful federal agency within DHS responsible for border enforcement, customs regulation, and immigration law enforcement. Its activities—particularly arrests and deportations of undocumented migrants—often provoke sharp public debate and criticism from human rights groups. The Canadian company’s decision, given its diverse holdings in real estate, food and entertainment, is especially notable amid these controversies. Although the brief press release did not provide specific reasons for cancelling the deal, the move may have been driven by commercial factors—such as changes in terms or pressure from other stakeholders—or by a desire to avoid potential reputational risk tied to providing space to such a contentious government agency. For context: The Jim Pattison Group is one of Canada’s largest privately held companies with multibillion-dollar revenues, and its decisions are closely watched by markets. Walking away from a contract with the U.S. government, even over a single asset, signals careful weighing of consequences. The company has not yet disclosed further plans for the Virginia property, but the episode highlights how geopolitical and social factors increasingly influence corporate real estate deals. In the current climate, when migration remains one of the most charged issues in the U.S., any business interaction with ICE is closely scrutinized by the public. Thus, Pattison’s decision can be seen as a preventative step to avoid possible protests, boycotts or negative press that could harm the company’s brand in Canada and abroad.
Canadian giant cancels sale of warehouse intended for U.S. immigration agency
On Friday, January 30, 2026, Canadian developer Jim Pattison Developments, owned by billionaire Jim Pattison, announced it was halting the sale of a large warehouse complex in Virginia to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The facility had been slated to serve as a detention and processing centre for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The decision was released in a brief company statement and followed a wave of public protest in both the U.S. and Canada, where The Pattison Group has substantial influence.
The deal, which emerged last week, was immediately met with sharp criticism. Opponents included local residents of Ashland—a town of fewer than 8,000 people where the 550,000-square-foot warehouse is located—as well as human rights organizations and business partners of the Canadian firm. Tensions were heightened by events in Minneapolis, where federal agents shot two people in the same month, sparking mass protests nationwide. As North Shore News reports, the Hanover County board, where the facility is located, also voiced opposition to ICE’s plans, and hundreds gathered at the county administration building to make their views known. The pressure became so intense that digital agency Point Blank Creative Inc., based in Vancouver and Toronto, announced it would suspend all media buys with Pattison companies totalling more than $550,000, citing principles of human rights and social justice.
In its initial statement, the developer division said it had not been made aware of the ultimate purchaser or intended use of the facility when it accepted an offer from a U.S. federal contractor. The company stressed that the sale was still subject to approvals and conditions and that it intended to comply with all applicable laws. However, acknowledging the heated public debate around immigration policy, the company said it “respects that this issue is deeply important to many people.” After the deal was cancelled, the planned protest at The Jim Pattison Group’s Vancouver headquarters turned, according to British Columbia Green Party leader Emily Lowen, into “a public gathering in celebration of a collective victory.” Lowen added: “Workers and communities can beat a class of billionaires when we stand together. This deal was stopped because people organized, put pressure on the company and refused to be silent.”
A separate protest continued outside the Vancouver office of tech firm Hootsuite, which provides social media management services to ICE. Hootsuite CEO Irina Novoselski earlier explained that their technology makes public conversations “visible at scale” and that working with ICE does not include tracking or surveillance of individuals. Nevertheless, even an indirect connection to the immigration agency—known for hardline methods—became a target of public condemnation. Earlier, British Columbia’s Attorney General Niki Sharma urged business leaders to consider whether their decisions contribute to the hardening of U.S. immigration policy. The cancellation of this deal underscores the growing influence of ethical considerations and public pressure on corporate decisions, especially when they touch on human rights and international reputation.
