Bear Mountain owners go head-to-head in bid for ownership of Langford resort
Published 5:45 am Thursday, January 15, 2026
Two rival business partners are going head-to-head in an attempt to become the ‘new’ owner of hundreds of acres of prime real estate overlooking the West Shore.
Sanovest Holdings Ltd. and Groundplay Developments Ltd. have both submitted bids to purchase the Bear Mountain resort, which includes two 18-hole golf courses, Canada’s largest indoor/outdoor red clay court facility and land zoned for residential and commercial development. But, it does not include the Westin Bear Mountain Resort and Spa, where it remains business as usual.
Sanovest is one of two equal partners of Ecoasis Developments LLP, which owns and operates the Bear Mountain resort. The other is 599315 B.C. Ltd., which is listed as the guarantor of Groundplay’s bid.
A filing with the B.C. Supreme Court says 599315 B.C. Ltd is an affiliate of Groundplay, with both sharing a director – Dan Matthews.
The resort has been under receivership since the fall of 2024 following a court petition by Sanovest, who are owed over $62 million by Ecoasis Developments.
In filings made in spring 2024, Sanovest claimed there was a breakdown in trust between the two controlling partners – Sanovest director Tian Kusumoto and 599315 B.C. Ltd director Matthews.
The request to sell the land by Alvarez & Marsal Canada was approved in July last year. The deadline for final bids from qualified bidders was set for early November, with only Sanovest and Groundplay making the cut.
A report by Alvarez & Marsal Canada, submitted in late November, requested the B.C. Supreme Court approve a proposed sale to Groundplay, whose over $141 million bid was determined to be the “superior” of the two.
However, a second revised Sanovest bid, submitted after the final deadline, has now come in to play.
According to the November report, Sanovest revised their offer after being advised of the terms of the Groundplay bid and that the receiver intended to advance with the sale.
Sanovest’s second bid falls shy of $158 million, which includes $8 million to be paid to 599315 B.C. Ltd, buying them out of the Ecoasis partnership.
Another report by Alvarez & Marsal Canada filed in December asks the B.C. Supreme Court if Sanovest’s second bid should be considered as part of the sale and investment solicitation process (SISP).
If approved, Alvarez & Marsal Canada notes Groundplay should be afforded an opportunity to revise its bid.
“While Groundplay will undoubtedly protest vigorously against the second Sanovest bid being considered a final bid or to any secondary bid process, the receiver notes that the SISP is the culmination of many years of dispute between the partners and advancing a secondary process, while unsatisfactory to one party, would appear reasonable based on the current circumstances,” concludes Alvarez & Marsal Canada in its December report.