Real estate and construction in Canada

With remarkable national presence, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP fields a strong and sizeable real estate team that is rated for its experience acting for major domestic and international financial services clients, developers, institutional investors, REITs and governmental entities in the entire spectrum of matters. Of particular note, the team is routinely engaged in market-leading transactions, involving M&A, acquisition and disposition of commercial, industrial and residential asset classes, real estate financing, securitization and construction projects. The group is under the joint leadership of Chris Huband and Thomas Von Hahn in Toronto; Huband is recommended for commercial real estate transactions, joint ventures and development projects, while von Hahn is frequently retained by pension funds and investors in mandates involving mortgage portfolios. Also sitting in the Toronto office, Silvana D’Alimonte has significant experience in financing deals and security enforcement. Daniel Kofman, who is based in the same office, has a broad practice that encompasses leasing, development, financing and M&A.

McCarthy Tétrault is home to a full-service real estate offering, and attracts instructions from private and publicly-traded investors, REITs, pension funds, governmental bodies and developers. In the acquisition and disposition space, the department is frequently engaged in high-value transactions, both of single assets and portfolios, spanning industrial, residential and commercial properties, hotels, office buildings and infrastructure projects. Furthermore, the team is also routinely called upon to advise on development-related joint ventures, financing deals, leasing matters and disputes. William McCullough in Toronto manages the department that also includes John Currie, who is noted for his proficiency in financing transactions involving the real estate sector, and Abraham Costin, who is counsel of choice for developers, pension funds and financial institutions. Also based in Toronto, Jamie Orzech balances a busy transactional workload that includes acquisitions and dispositions of all asset classes, implementation of real estate joint ventures and financings. In Vancouver, Keith Burrell advises on development and investment matters, and is often sought after by major developers of residential and mixed-use projects engaged in presale activity.

With a great national footprint, Bennett Jones LLP represents a domestic and international client roster of owner, developers, investors and financiers in a broad variety of real estate transactions and projects. The team is jointly led by four partners based across Canada: Ron Barron in Calgary, Robert Bothwell in Edmonton, Jane Helmstadter  in Toronto and Larry Sandrin in Vancouver. Helmstadter's practice encompasses commercial real estate transactions and development mandates, which are also key areas of activity for fellow co-head Sandrin. Paul Mantini in Toronto regularly assists with the development and financing of large-scale projects, while Simon Crawford  in the same office is highly regarded for his wealth of experience in high-value transactions involving commercial and residential properties. John van Gent is another name to note for transactional work in Toronto. Based in Calgary, Alixe Cameron excels in commercial real estate matters, encompassing office towers, industrial and retail buildings, condo developments and farmlands.

At Torys, the real estate team is well placed to advise across the entire spectrum of matters including acquisitions, dispositions and leasing transactions, large-scale development projects, financing and joint venture agreements. The practice, which acts for large real estate investors and developers across Canada, offers national coverage to a domestic and international client roster that also includes real estate companies, REITs and pension funds. Based in Toronto,  Sabrina Gherbaz, who focuses on real estate development, and Graham Rawlinson, who is noted for his transactional track record encompassing joint ventures, divestitures and financing in the retail, office and hospitality sectors, jointly lead the department. David Dell stands out for his experience of real estate joint ventures, REITs, lending and M&A involving commercial, office and mixed-use developments. Andy Gibbons, whose sectoral expertise covers real estate, infrastructure and energy projects, is noted for financing, development and transactional work.

Dentons houses ‘a team of strong and technically proficient lawyers‘ that stretches across the country. The standalone real estate practice offers expertise on the entire spectrum of matters, with a particular emphasis on acquisition and disposition deals, financing transactions and all facets of construction projects. Based in Vancouver, Karen Martin and Jana Mansour oversee transactional and contentious work pertaining to cross-border infrastructure and construction projects. Clark Kassian is a key contact in Calgary, while Jillian E Shortt splits her time between Calgary and Toronto. In Montréal, Claude Morency has built a strong reputation in construction disputes.

The real estate group at Fasken acts for a diverse roster of clients, comprising pension funds, REITS, financial institutions, public entities, developers and lenders. The team enjoys a strong presence in the Montréal, Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary markets, and is often retained to assist with construction-related matters, joint ventures, acquisitions, dispositions and financings of real estate projects across the country. Andrea Centa in Toronto heads up the Ontario real estate department, and advises domestic and foreign clients on transactions and development mandates. Mariella Lo Papa, who is particularly noted for her expertise of retail leasing, is the main point of contact in the Montréal office, while Sergio Custodio in Vancouver oversees the British Columbia real estate practice. Also sitting in Montréal, Nicolas Leblanc acts for institutional investors in a range of real estate transactions, including financing and joint ventures.

Working in close collaboration with the firm’s construction and P3 lawyers, Gowling WLG‘s real estate department is well-positioned to provide a one-stop-shop offering to a diverse client base composed of  major developers, pension funds, REITs, financial institutions and governmental entities, among others. Besides assisting with the acquisition and disposition of real estate assets and other transactional work (including financing deals), the practice particularly stands out for its significant experience in property development and leasing matters. Vancouver-based Joel Camley is skilled at leading multi-office teams in complex commercial real estate transactions and cross-border mandates. He oversees the national real estate practice group, while Ted Betts in Toronto heads up the infrastructure and construction law team.

Offering coast-to-coast coverage, Norton Rose Fulbright is often seen involved in high profile acquisitions and dispositions spanning all major real estate asset classes, commercial leasing and financing transactions. In addition, the group also counts its development and construction law work as a defining trait, working on real estate projects ranging from hotels to office buildings, industrial plants, mixed-use developments and public infrastructure. Based in Montréal, Mario M. Caron  is a key contact for domestic and foreign corporations, pension funds and financial institutions seeking assistance with project financing and real estate development; he manages the national group. Neil Davie and John L Sampson left the firm in 2021.

With particular strength in the hospitality sector, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP fields a team of lawyers specialised in real estate transactions, financing, leasing portfolio management and construction law. Vancouver-based David Longcroft manages the national commercial real estate department, steering the team on a range of transactions and development matters on behalf of developers, publicly listed real estate companies and institutional investors. Patricia Morrison in Calgary, who has a wealth of experience in large-scale infrastructure, industrial and commercial projects, leads the nationwide construction group. Brennan Carroll is a key contact in Toronto for municipalities, commercial and retail players.

With a strong presence in British Columbia, Lawson Lundell LLP provides legal support to a diverse client roster in the array of transactional and development real estate matters. Practice head Peter Tolensky, who is based in Vancouver, is primarily active advising pension funds, energy companies and private entities in the structuring of real estate projects and leasing transactions. Shaun Partridge leads on real estate acquisitions, financing and development work coming out of Calgary.