Summary

Canadian municipalities are in a state of flux due to the demands of a growing population and associated infrastructure requirements, which must be accommodated within an ever-changing regulatory and policy context. Whether your business is involved in municipal planning and development, major land acquisitions for infrastructure or other governmental matters, procurement or government relations, it is crucial to understand the legal and policy regime that affects you. BLG’s Municipal Law and Other Government Group can provide you with the right information and advice to advance your development objectives and projects in a timely and efficient way.

Our Municipal Law and Other Government Group has proven expertise in municipal law as it applies to:

  • Policy planning, development approvals, appeal hearings and agreements
  • The expropriation process and compensation hearings
  • Development charges, property taxation, and other municipal finance
  • Local government regulation and municipal business corporations
  • Public policy and government relations
  • Procurement

Members of the Municipal Law and Other Government Group work closely with our lawyers in other specialized areas, including tax, employment, energy, environment, infrastructure, insurance, real estate and litigation. We can also quickly assemble consultant teams to provide the right expertise to advance your project.  We have leading litigators to advance or defend appeals in any municipal matter, and we are experienced in alternative dispute resolution mediation and arbitration.

Publications & Presentations

Publications

  • "Municipal Law Group Bulletin," July 2012.
  • "Hospital Redevelopment: It Takes More than Patience," Canadian Helathcare Facilities, Winter 2011/2012.
  • "Critics Weigh in on Section 37 Agreements," The Lawyers Weekly — Vol. 32, No. 9, June 29, 2012.
  • "New Aboriginal Consultation Requirements for Archaeological Assessments," November 2010.
  • "Bill 150: Green Energy and Green Economy Act, 2009," February 24, 2009.
  • "Legal Non-Conforming or Just Legal: Giving Up the Farm," Digest of Municipal and Planning Law. (2d), Issue 8, August 2005.

Presentations

  • "Green Belts and Ring Roads: Land Use PLanning or Down-Zoning for Infrastructure Development," Alberta Expropriation Association, October 3, 2009.
  • "Expropriation in a Time of Infrastructure Spending," OAMREA Spring Conference, May 22, 2009.
  • "Legal Implications of Grow Ops in Ontario," and "Legal Issues to Consider in the Appraisal of Real Estate," The Appraisal Institute of Canada, April 3, 2009.
  • "Information Session on the City of Toronto Lobbyist Registry," Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, March 26, 2008.
  • "Role of a Community Improvement Plan in Supporting Infrastructure Development," Construction Law Group, November 27, 2007.
  • "Urban Renewal Land Assembly — Where Do We 'Grow' From Here?" International Right of Way Association, Chapter 29 & the Ontario Association of Municipal Real Estate Administrators, October 14, 2005.
  • "The Role of Expropriation in City Centre Revitalization," Spring Meeting of the Ontario Expropriation Associtaion, June 1, 2000.

Additional Articles

Representative Work

  • Planning approvals – official plans, official plan amendments, secondary plans, zoning by-laws, interim control by-laws, site plans and subdivisions.
  • High level policy conformity exercises – Growth Plan, Greenbelt Plan, Provincial Policy Statement and others.
  • Private sector development – condominiums, greenfield subdivisions, infill, brownfield, office, retail, entertainment and hospitality, industrial, energy facilities.
  • Public sector development – public and private schools; universities and colleges; hospital expansions and redevelopment; other community infrastructure.
  • Expropriation for land owners - assistance in all facets of the process including negotiation, identification and retainer of experts, options for challenging the decision to expropriate and conduct of compensation litigation.
  • Expropriation for authorities including municipalities, school boards and others – considerable experience in land assembly and provision of a turn-key approach to the full process, or narrower mandates such as compensation hearings and appeals.
  • Legislative monitoring and policy analysis.
  • Advocacy activities and lobbying.
  • Electoral law and lobbying law compliance.
  • Procurement.