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Forestry

Whether you’re with a private or public forestry company or the provincial or federal government, it’s key to have a skilled legal team who can provide trusted advice and representation on all forestry law issues.

Our multidisciplinary team has a comprehensive grasp of past and present provincial forestry practise and legislation. We have significant experience in:

  • forestry projects
  • corporate/commercial issues
  • regulatory issues
  • environmental matters
  • Indigenous matters
  • provincial regulation governing forestry activities
  • regulatory compliance advice
  • mergers, acquisitions and corporate reorganizations
We have almost 20 years of experience with the softwood lumber dispute in various capacities and have acted in a number of roles for industry organizations. We provide substantive advice to government organizations on international legal obligations to proposed forest policy changes.

Experience - Mergers & Acquisitions

  • $38.6 million acquisition of the Fort St. James Sawmill from Conifex Inc.
  • Acquisition of the assets of Coe Newnes/McGehee Inc.
  • $38 million acquisition of the Meadow Lake pulp mill.
  • $1.1 billion sale of coastal timber assets to Brascan.
  • $39 million acquisition of the Fort St. James sawmill from Canfor.
  • US$457.5 million acquisition of three oriented strand board facilities and related assets in Minnesota from Potlatch Corporation.
  • $56 million acquisition of an oriented strand board facility and related assets in Slave Lake, Alberta from Weyerhaeuser.
  • $40/share take-over of Riverside Forest Products Ltd.
  • Acquisition of a bleached chemo thermo mechanical pulp mill from Louisiana-Pacific in Chetwynd, British Columbia.
  • $163 million acquisition of Norske Skog Canada MacKenzie Pulp Limited.
  • Acquisition of Primex Forest Products Ltd.
  • Acquisition of the High Level Lumber Division of Daishowa-Marubeni International Ltd. in Alberta.
  • Acquisition of Crestbrook Industries Limited by court approved plan of arrangement.
  • $80 million acquisition of a 50.1 per cent interest in Findlay Forest Industries Inc.
  • Acquisition of MB Paper Limited.
  • $109 million acquisition of Repap Manitoba Inc.
  • $140 million acquisition of the coastal solid wood division of Weldwood of Canada Limited.

Experience - Other

  • Regulatory issues in connection with the liquidation of a forest products company.
  • Regulatory issues in connection with the acquisition of Donohue Inc.
  • Counsel to the Government of British Columbia on issues relating to Skeena Cellulose.

Experience - Corporate/Commercial

  • Joint ownership structures for production facilities.

Experience - Environmental Matters

  • Obtaining injunctions against environmental and Native protesters, which includes acting for forest products companies in the Walbran Valley protests.
  • Defending charges under the Fisheries Act and provincial environmental protection legislation.
  • Defending administrative contraventions under the Forest and Range Practices Act and its predecessor.

Experience - Aboriginal Matters

  • Counsel to the Government of British Columbia in the Xeni Gwet’in case.
  • Matters relating to Aboriginal rights, Aboriginal title and traditional territories and other legal issues, negotiations and developments involving First Nations.
  • Matters relating to advising archaeological and Heritage Conservation Act issues that affect logging operations.

 

 

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Your ambition. Our advice.
M&A at BLG.

 

At the heart of every M&A opportunity is an ambition — to harness a market opportunity, to forge a new partnership, to shape growth on your terms. Strengthen and support your goals, backed by BLG’s strong regulatory acumen and deep expertise in the sectors driving the Canadian economy today and tomorrow.

 

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Key Contact

  • Rick Williams

    Rick Williams

    Partner and National Business Leader, Environmental, Municipal, Expropriation & Regulatory

    Vancouver
    [email protected]
    604.640.4074
    View full bio

    Rick Williams

    Partner and National Business Leader, Environmental, Municipal, Expropriation & Regulatory

    Services
    • Environmental
    • Energy – Power
    • Renewable Energy
    • Indigenous Law
    • Disputes

    • [See more on full bio]
    View full bio
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