A lawsuit filed by the City of Cranbrook against the Western Hockey League and the former owners of the Kootenay Ice is moving forward, according to a recent court filing.
On June 19 2025, the City of Cranbrook, as the plaintiff, filed a notice of intention to proceed with the B.C.Supreme Court Vancouver registry.
In 2020, the city filed its original notice of civil claim, alleging breach of contract after the longtime Kootenay Ice hockey club relocated to Winnipeg.
Named in the lawsuit are the Kootenay Ice Hockey Club, Kootenay Ice Hockey Club (2017) Ltd. 7497840 Manitoba Ltd., Winnipeg Ice Inc. and the Western Hockey League.
The City of Cranbrook says it is seeking relief for general damages, lost income from a 15-year licence agreement at Western Financial Place that still had four years of term left before expiry in 2023, among other special damages and costs incurred after the franchise relocated to Manitoba.
In the notice of claim, the City says it received an average revenue of $178,333 annually from Kootenay Ice, in the form of fees, advertising income, and other revenue between 2013/14 to 2018/19. The City alleges it lost the opportunity for hockey revenue when the Ice relocated to Winnipeg for the 2019/20 season,
The City named the WHL as a defendant, alleging it induced the breaches of the licence agreement and that it was either aware or should have been aware that approving the franchise transfer would breach the licence agreement.
The City entered into a new licence agreement with a replacement tenant in 2020, but alleges the replacement income is less than what was generated from the previous, which the city deemed "lost income." The city also says in obtaining the replacement tenant, it incurred costs and expense it otherwise would not have had to.
In a response filed in 2022, the defendants deny much of the facts alleged in the City's notice of claim.
The defendants allege the City itself breached the licence agreement by terminating it in May 2019 after refusing a request for a viable sub-lease or assignment of the licence agreement.
The response alleges that the WHL was or has never been a party to a contractual agreement with the City of Cranbrook.
The response also relies on "force majeure" clauses — a clause that releases contractual obligations in the face of extraordinary circumstances — contained within the licence agreement.
Over the course of 21 years in Cranbrook, the Kootenay Ice won three WHL championships, including a Memorial Cup championship in 2002. A number of players went onto NHL careers, most notably Jarrett Stoll, Sam Reinhart and Brayden McNabb, while a few coaches also moved on to NHL teams such as Ryan McGill and Kris Knoblauch.
The Winnipeg Ice played four seasons in Manitoba, however, efforts to build a new arena stalled and the franchise was again relocated to Wenatchee, WA, in 2023.
After the Kootenay Ice relocated, the BCHL expanded to the city through the Cranbrook Bucks.
