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Kent D. Howie

Partner

Calgary
Toronto
KHowie@blg.com
416.367.6734

Expertise

Grace Brooks

Practice Assistant

Toronto
GBrooks@blg.com
416.350.2648

Kent works for a broad range of clients and provides strategic business law advice to senior management and boards of directors on complex transactions that often span numerous specialty areas of the law.

A large component of his practice is the development of new, or the acquisition of existing, large infrastructure, electricity and oil and gas projects across Canada. These have included electricity projects of all fuel types, including large hydro, coal, natural gas, solar, wind and geothermal, as well pipelines, offshore oil, oil sands and liquid natural gas projects.

Kent has negotiated numerous joint ventures, partnerships and strategic alliances for clients operating in various industries. He has also acted as lead counsel on a number of large complex mergers and acquisitions.

As a chartered professional accountant and lawyer, Kent started his career with a Big 4 accounting firm before practicing law with BLG.

Experience

  • Capital Power Corporate in its $977 million purchase of the 875 MW natural gas-fired Goreway Power Station in the Greater Toronto Area from Toyota Tsusho Corporation and JERA Co., Inc.
  • The Government of Canada in its $4.5 billion acquisition of the Trans Mountain and Puget Sound Pipelines, and related terminals, from Kinder Morgan in 2018.
  • A joint venture participant in Hibernia Offshore Oil Project (off Newfoundland Coast) on matters related to ownership/operation of the project, including federal and provincial royalty and net profits interest matters, and an array of commercial agreements dealing with crude lifting, vessel transportation, crude storage, and marketing of crude.
  • Two large hydro-electric projects in Canada involving private developers and First Nations with estimated capital costs of $8 billion and $2 billion, respectively. Provided advice on alternative legal structures, Indigenous ownership, joint venture agreements, power purchase agreements and projects’ foundational operating and financing agreements.
  • Acquisition by Husky Energy Inc. from BP plc of 50% interest in Toledo, Ohio oil refinery in exchange for 50% interest in Sunrise Oil Sands Project (reported transaction value $10 billion+), including advising on material agreements governing the parties to jointly develop and operate the Project.
  • AutoCanada Inc., Canada's largest publicly traded group of auto dealerships, with over 50 dealerships representing different OEMs, operating in various provinces across Canada.
  • Two different multi-billion dollar Liquefied Natural Gas Projects proposed to be constructed on the West Coast of North America with production capacity of 1.5 million mtpa and 12 million mtpa, respectively, including advising on the key project agreements that will govern the joint venture participants in each project.
  • Mergers & acquisitions transactions in the electricity sector, including sale by EPCOR to ENMAX of its interest in Alberta’s Battle River coal-fired power plant’s 660 MW Power Purchase Arrangement, acquisition by international utility of 300 MW gas-fired power plant in Calgary and 285 MW power plant in B.C., and the purchase and sale of a number of solar and wind projects in Canada.
  • The creation of a corporate joint venture between a U.S. Fortune 500 energy company and a diversified energy services company operating in the commercial and industrial gas and electricity marketing sectors, and the ultimate sale of the business to a publicly traded entity.
  • The reorganization and/or sale of a number of municipal electric utilities in Ontario pursuant to the provisions of Ontario’s Energy Competition Act.
  • The construction of a large long-term care facility by way of a three-way public private partnership among a large Ontario municipality, a developer, and a facility operator.
  • The completion of a governance review of Ontario’s third-largest municipal electric utility, including chairing a public consultation process and preparing the final report to the council of the municipal shareholder.

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2018 (and since 2013) editions of The Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Corporate Mid-Market, Private Equity).
  • Recognized in the 2018 edition (and since 2014) of the Lexpert®/ROB Special Edition – Canada's Leading Energy Lawyers.
  • Recognized in the 2019 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada® (Energy Law).
  • Recognized in the 2019 edition of IFLR1000 - The Guide to the World's Leading Financial Law Firms (Project Development and M&A - Notable Practitioner).

Bar Admission & Education

  • Alberta, 2005
  • Ontario, 1995
  • LLB, University of Victoria, 1994
  • CPA,CA, Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, 1990
  • B.Comm., Mount Allison University, 1986
  • Certificate in Engineering Science, Mount Allison University, 1986

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