United Earth Group et. al., Receivership

United Earth Group et. al., a Delta, BC based civil and earthworks contractor, was placed into receivership on July 30 on application by RBC, owed $12.1 million.

The business of the United Earth Group is focused primarily on civil construction and earth-moving projects in the lower mainland, including government tenders.

RBC advanced funds to the companies in December 2023 and January 2024.

The United Earth Group has experienced persistent financial distress since around October 2024, from which time the companies began failing to make payments to their subcontractors and suppliers generally as they became due. This financial distress was caused primarily by cost overruns and various contract disputes related to United Earth Group’s work on the Fraser Valley Highway 1 expansion project.

All work by the United Earth Group on the project has been halted since approximately March 2025, and BA Blacktop Infrastructure Inc. and Carmacks Enterprises Ltd., the contractor on the project, have ceased all progress payments to the United Earth Group. This halt of work on the Highway 1 project constitutes a default under the terms of the work contract with the contractor, which may result in extended and costly litigation.

The companies have been in default of their payment obligations under the RBC loans since February 2025, and subsequently breached the terms of a forbearance agreement.

Grant Thornton is the receiver.

Counsel is BLG for RBC, Farris for the receiver, Lindsay Kenney for BDC, Whitelaw Twining for Western Surety Company, Sevenoaks Law for Anthony Ciccozzi, and Dentons for the City of Surrey.