Background

Barry Chase is a real estate partner at our Vancouver office.  He was admitted to the British Columbia bar in 1980.  He is a graduate of the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Laws in 1979.  Prior to that, he attended Douglas College and Simon Fraser University.

Areas of Practice

Mr. Chase is a senior partner in the firm’s commercial real estate law practice in Vancouver.  He has a very diverse practice but with a particular emphasis on land development, rezoning, subdivision and marketing, with particular extensive experience acting for various agencies of government.

Professional Experience

Real Estate and Related Legal Services for the Province and Provincial Agencies

Mr. Chase has had extensive experience throughout his 31 years of practice acting for the Province and Provincial agencies in a number of complex, high profile or sensitive matters which included elements of resort development, land development, infrastructure, zoning, subdivision and disposition work, including remediation of contaminated lands and planning and management of unique Provincially owned real estate assets.  These projects include:

• Development of Whistler
• Mr. Chase acted for the subsidiary land development company of Resort Municipality of Whistler from 1980 to 1982 during the early days of the development of Whistler.
• Mr. Chase was lead counsel and at times corporate secretary for WLC Developments Ltd., a provincially owned corporation, from its inception in 1983, throughout its tenure under various different provincial ministries and agencies to 1998.  During this period the following significant Whistler transactions were effected:
  • Ownership and control of Whistler development assets, Conference Centre, Golf Course and other assets were transferred to provincial control
    
  • Land assets such as hotel sites, condominium sites, shopping centres and commercial and mixed use sites in Whistler Town Centre were developed including subdivision and zoning, and sold to the private sector as development sites
  • The Whistler Conference Centre and Golf Course were transferred to the Resort Municipality of Whistler with long term use controls
  • The Whistler Town Centre was significantly expanded by the development of Whistler Village North as an integral part of the Whistler Village
  • The Blackcomb Benchlands land assets were disposed of from the Province to Intrawest including related development matters
  • Through this period Whistler was transformed into a world class international four season recreational destination resort, and at the same time the Province was successful in its role in developing and disposing of its land assets at Whistler and facilitating the development of Whistler
• British Columbia Enterprise Corporation
• This Provincially owned land development company started with Expo 86 related projects, then expanded to a wider real estate mandate, including for a time, control of the Whistler company, WLC Developments Ltd.  Mr. Chase worked extensively with British Columbia Enterprise Corporation during this period.
• Land and Water British Columbia and British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation
• Mr. Chase was central to the Province’s restructuring of WLC Developments Ltd., taking it from a purely Whistler based company to a Provincial subsidiary responsible for Province wide land development and marketing activity on behalf of the Province, during the period 1998 to 2004.  This included the following:
  • Land and Water British Columbia Inc. (formerly British Columbia Assets and Land Corporation).  He was the lead outside counsel for this Provincially owned company since it assumed this Province wide role.  This involved initially structuring the company and its relationship with government and in development of its standard approach to marketing and sale of provincial lands and subsequently the sale and development of a number of complex provincial land holdings.
  • Roberts Bank Farm Land Disposition.  He acted for Land and Water British Columbia Inc. in its sale of lands which were expropriated from farmers in the 1970s for an industrial development adjacent to the Roberts Bank terminal.  A number of different interests including environmental and agricultural were balanced and dealt with, including by way of ongoing use controls, and the Province successfully disposed of the lands, in some cases to the existing lessee farmers and in other cases on the open market.
• The Province
• Mr. Chase acted for the Province on a number of other significant transactions including:
  • Brunswick Point – Mr. Chase has assisted the Province in concluding a Settlement Agreement concerning the Brunswick Point farmlands in Delta, British Columbia which sees the resolution of a long-standing dispute stemming from the Provincial expropriation of these farmlands some 30 years ago.  This has involved balancing the various needs of the Province, the expropriated farmers, aboriginal interests and environmental and farming interests.  A Settlement Agreement was concluded in May of 2011 and the parties are working to implement such agreement. 
  • Burke Mountain - Mr. Chase prepared a Request for Proposals for the disposition of 790 acres of Crown land in Northeast Coquitlam for LWBC on behalf of the Province.  This is one of the largest land disposition transactions for the Province since the Expo lands.  The Request For Proposals resulted in the selection of a successful proponent and a Purchase and Sale Agreement for the “Core Lands” with Wesbild Holdings Ltd. which successfully closed.  Development is underway and the Province is now securing title to the “school lands” for subsequent disposition to the school district.  The Request for Proposals also dealt with the possible disposition of the “Optional Lands” which may occur at a later date.
  • “Six Mile Ranch” Project near Kamloops - This involved the removal from the agricultural land reserve, against the stated position of the Agricultural Land Commission, of lands near Kamloops, British Columbia for development.  It involved Provincial Orders in Council detailing the terms to be met by the developer to remove lands from the reserve and the preparation of agreements dealing with various development and approval issues involved in the ongoing development and use of the lands.
  • Surrey PNE Site – The Province acquired a site known as United Auto site in Surrey, British Columbia for the possible relocation of the PNE.  Once it was decided that this would not proceed, Mr. Chase assisted the Province in the successful sale of those contaminated lands to the private sector under a sale regime which provided for the remediation of the lands. 
  • Sale of Surrey Forest Nursery – This involved the sale of the Surrey Forest Nursery as a going concern.
• 2010 Olympics
• Olympic Sliding Centre – Mr. Chase assisted the Province in leasing/tenure arrangements in connection with the Olympic Sliding Centre on Blackcomb Mountain, Whistler, British Columbia as part of the 2010 Olympics.
• Community Land Bank Contract with Whistler including Athletes Village Lands – Mr. Chase assisted the Province in its Community Land Bank Agreement with the Resort Municipality of Whistler which provides for a land bank for Whistler for use for temporary purposes in conjunction with the 2010 Olympics and for long term use as affordable employee housing and for related purposes, partly under the Whistler Legacy Society.
• Other Provincial Entities:
• BC Pavilion Corporation
  • BC Place Stadium - Land development issues associated with BC Place Stadium and Terry Fox Plaza and a proposal for the expansion of the stadium site and various complex arrangements with the Stadium and surrounding land titles and uses
  • Bridge Studios – Mr. Chase has handled all land related issues for the Bridge Studios for a number of years and acted for Pavco on a Request for Proposals and a subsequent successful disposition of the Bridge Studios.  This also involved appropriate handling of environmental matters
  • Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre – Mr. Chase has assisted Pavco in its leasing matters and other matters relating to its existing trade and convention facility in Canada Place which it has held since 1987
  • Convention Centre Expansion – Mr. Chase has assisted Pavco in connection with leasing and other matters in connection with the expanded Convention Centre facility
• Royal British Columbia Museum Corporation
• Mr. Chase has assisted the Museum in its acquisition of title to the properties on which the museum is situate and in other long term planning matters including a comprehensive rezoning which will see the Museum's needs for the next 100 years.

Other Significant Development, Industrial, Commercial and Recreational Operations

• BC Hydro and Power Authority
  Mr. Chase has assisted BC Hydro in connection with numerous significant and complex land transaction including matters dealing with contaminated sites, subdivision matters, development matters and has assisted BC Hydro with a number of real estate matters in connection with the proposed Site C Dam.
• Millennium Development Corporation
  Mr. Chase has acted for Millennium Development Corporation and its various subsidiaries in connection with a number of land acquisitions and development, leasing and sales matters including all the assembly, rezoning, subdivision and development work associated with the proposed Evelyn project in West Vancouver.
• Maher Terminals
  Mr. Chase has assisted Maher Terminals from New Jersey in its agreements with the Prince Rupert Port Authority and Canadian National Railway for the establishment of an intermodel container terminal in Prince Rupert.  The project is regarded as critical to a number of interests including the Province, the Federal Government, the City of Prince Rupert and northern development interests as well as the railway.  Phase 1 of the terminal has been successfully launched.
• Ridley Terminals Inc.
  Mr. Chase has acted for Ridley Terminals Inc., a federally owned company, in the development and ongoing activity associated with its coal export terminal at Prince Rupert as well as expansion and diversification initiatives.
• Other Areas
  In addition to the foregoing Mr. Chase acts for numerous clients with a broad variety of real estate related matters, including site assembly, rezoning, development, sale and lease, many of such relationships spanning decades, as well as a number of large local and international clients in numerous sectors.

Professional Development and Firm Administration

Mr. Chase has been actively involved in professional development activities first for Ladner Downs and then continuing in a greater capacity for Borden Ladner Gervais LLP following the merger of five firms in the year 2000 to form BLG.  Mr. Chase has also been involved in a number of firm administration and management positions in Ladner Downs and BLG.