Canada 2026
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary | Western Forest Products
Executive vice president, chief legal officer and risk and sustainability | Oxford Properties
Head of legal, global litigationand compliance commerical legal affairs, Canada | Alimentation Couche-Tard / Circle K
Interim chief executive officer and chief legal officer | Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority
Executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary | Cadillac Fairview
Vice president, legal and corporate services | Insurance Corporate of British Columbia (ICBC)
Senior vice president, chief legal, privacy and compliance officer | SE Health
Chief legal counsel and senior vice president, legal affairs, procurement and data governance | iA Financial Corporation
Senior vice president and general counsel, Wealth and TD Insurance | TD
Senior vice president, legal affairs and corporate secretary | Dollarama
Executive vice president and chief legal officer | Canadian Tire Corporation
Vice president, head of corporate affairs, legal and diversity and inclusion and regional general counsel | ArcelorMittal Dofasco
Regional counsel Canada | Waste Management of Canada Corporation
Vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary and sustainability | FortisBC
Executive vice president, chief legal and administrative officer | Gildan Activewear
Vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary | Badger Infrastructure Solutions
Senior vice president, general counsel and chief legal officer | IMP Group International
Regional senior counsel for Alberta and British Columbia | Saskatchewan Government Insurance
General counsel and corporate secretary | MasterCard Foundation Asset Management
Vice president and general counsel | Triple Flag Precious Metals Corporation
Senior vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer | BC Hydro
Executive vice president, chief legal and governance officer | TELUS
Executive vice president, legal and economic affairs and corporate secretary | CGI
Vice president, legal and general counsel | Canadian Natural Resources
Executive vice president and chief legal officer | Magna International
Vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary | Canadian Pacific Kansas City
Senior vice president, group head of legal and business affairs and corporate secretary | TMX Group
Senior vice president, legal, general counsel and corporate secretary | Agnico Eagle Mines
Executive vice president, strategy and general counsel | Wheaton Precious Metals
Executive vice president, legal affairs, enterprise technology and resilience | National Bank of Canada
Executive vice president, chief development officer and general counsel | Empire Company
Executive vice president and chief legal officer | Intact Financial Corporation
Vice president communications, community relations and general counsel | Prince Rupert Port Authority
Vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary | Imperial Oil
Vice president, legal and associate general counsel | WestJet
General counsel legal affairs and chief compliance and sustainability officer | WSP
Senior vice preseident, general counsel and company secretary | ATCO
Senior vice president and general counsel | Kinross Gold Corporation
Executive vice president, chief legal and sustainability officer | Teck Resources
General counsel and corporate secretary | Constellation Software
Senior counsel and global director, contracts and corporate legal services. | Hatch
Executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary | Open Text Corporation
Executive vice president, external affairs and chief sustainability and legal officer | Nutrien
Senior vice president and chief legal officer | Canadian National Railway
Executive vice president, stakeholder engagement, chief legal officer and corporate secretary | SaskEnergy
Senior managing director, chief legal officer and corporate secretary | CPP Investments
Executive vice president, chief legal and regulatory officer | Bell Canada (BCE)
Chief legal, people and corporate affairs officer | Pembina Pipeline Corporation
General counsel and executive vice president | Alberta Energy Regulator
Senior vice president, head of corporate services, organisational performance and corporate secretariat | CDPQ
Vice president, general counsel and secretary | Power Corporation of Canada
Senior vice president governance, legal and compliance, general counsel and corporate secretary | OLG
It is an honour for Legal 500 to present the GC Powerlist: Canada 2026, celebrating the achievements of the country’s outstanding in-house legal professionals.
This year’s cohort, representing a wide range of sectors, has made one thing clear to us: resilience amid regulatory and economic uncertainty is a sine qua non of the country’s modern legal teams. Canadian general counsel are navigating shifting trade policies, regulatory complexity and cross-border challenges while balancing legal risk with business growth. As Lori Massini, general counsel and corporate secretary at A&W Canada, explains: “Managing risk isn’t about eliminating it entirely. It is about making smart trade-offs and balancing legal realities against the broader commercial needs of the business”.
Equally prominent among our conversations with this year’s powerlisters was the expanding strategic influence of in-house counsel. Across industries, legal departments are taking on broader responsibilities spanning governance, compliance, complex transactions and enterprise risk management. Their role increasingly extends beyond legal oversight to shaping corporate strategy and enabling commercial opportunities. As Sean Morrison, general counsel and chief compliance officer at BASF Canada, observes: “Periods of uncertainty test whether legal functions can move beyond risk identification and become strategic enablers”.
Artificial intelligence and technological transformation also emerged as important areas of development for Canadian legal leaders. Canadian legal leaders are exploring opportunities to improve efficiency while ensuring that innovation is supported by appropriate governance, privacy and ethical safeguards.
Alongside technological transformation, the human dimension of leadership remains essential. Canadian general counsel are fostering collaborative, inclusive and adaptable teams, recognising that effective legal leadership extends beyond technical expertise to mentorship, professional development and organisational culture. Lisa Marcuzzi, vice president, head of corporate affairs, legal and diversity and inclusion at ArcelorMittal Dofasco, exemplifies this approach through her commitment to mentoring and responsible leadership.
Finally, sustainability and responsible governance continue to influence corporate legal priorities, particularly across Canada’s energy, natural resources and investment sectors, where legal teams contribute to balancing commercial objectives with long-term accountability.
In summary, this year’s research reveals a Canadian in-house legal community distinguished by its adaptability, strategic vision and human leadership.
On behalf of The Legal 500, I extend my warmest congratulations to everyone recognised in the GC Powerlist: Canada 2026.
Carmen Godoy Martin, Research Editor: GC Powerlist: Canada 2026
