REGINA — A court decision has not yet come down after Monette Farms appealed a British Columbia Supreme Court ruling that the company owed an adviser $12 million.
However, Monette has listed the B.C. ranches at the heart of the case with large auction house Ritchie Bros.
In March 2025, justice Emily Burke ordered the company, headed by Darrel Monette, to pay David Dutcyvich the money for helping Monette to purchase ranches described as 45,000 acres in 21 locations of the B.C. interior. The judge agreed Monette knew Dutcyvich’s fee was $12 million.
National Circle for Indigenous Agriculture and Food, which works with many opportunities for Indigenous agriculture finds it’s critical to start the project at the size a community can support it.
Monette said he would appeal, and that was heard in September.
In November, 12 separate listings for ranch properties totalling nearly 45,000 acres were posted on the Ritchie Bros. website. They include “buy now” prices adding up to $199.5 million.
The largest of the B.C. properties is Diamond S at Lillooet, listed as 13,546.62 acres with a buy now price of $45.5 million. The smallest is Canyon Ranch at 70 Miles House at 160 acres and a price of $1.5 million.
Most of the properties have buildings and houses and the listings include a clause noting the current owners are interested in lease-back agreements.
The auctions close Jan. 9, 2026, although originally the bids weren’t to close until March 3.
“If the high bid does not meet reserve when bidding closes, the high bidder will be the first to be contacted with the opportunity to negotiate,” the listings say.
In March, Monette said his company was committed to “transparency, integrity and fairness in all our dealings,” including the B.C. ranches. Monette did not return a request for more information on the appeal or the sale listings.
Source: www.producer.com