The British Columbia Development Corporation (B.C.D.C.) and its subsidiary, First Capital, were involved in an urban redevelopment project.
They refused to renew the lease of a restaurant, King Neptune, which then complained to the Ombudsman.
The Ombudsman commenced an investigation, but B.C.D.C. challenged his jurisdiction, arguing the refusal to renew a lease was a business decision, not a 'matter of administration'.
The Supreme Court of Canada held that the Ombudsman had jurisdiction, as the phrase 'matter of administration' encompasses everything done by governmental authorities in the implementation of government policy, including commercial activities.
