Construction

Skyscrapers construction site for modern buildings.

Canadian, U.S. and international clients regularly turn to the lawyers in Osler’s National Construction and Infrastructure Group — which is ranked Band 1 in Chambers Canada, one of the leading legal directories in the world — for expert advice throughout the life cycle of their construction projects, whether they are large and complex projects or smaller projects where successful execution is critical. In addition to leveraging Osler’s significant experience in the optimal structuring and effective completion of these projects, clients benefit from the innovative way the Group is organized. Our construction lawyers are divided into two groups: solicitors who focus on the negotiation and preparation of all of the documents related to a specific project and litigators who specialize in dispute resolution in the construction industry and are available to lend their expertise in the event that unexpected issues develop on a project. These specialized lawyers work together as an integrated team that ensures that clients’ needs are met from the launch of a construction project until its conclusion.

A broad range of industry participants rely on Osler’s construction expertise and advice, and in particular leverage the Construction and Infrastructure Group’s demonstrated:

  • Understanding of project risk: Identifying and minimizing potential risks is critical to the success of a project. Osler lawyers provide practical advice to mitigate risk based on their deep experience and insight into market conditions and the latest trends.
  • Technical and commercial knowledge: Many of our lawyers hold both law and engineering degrees and bring their hands-on project experience to bear on every file. As a result, clients benefit from the very best technical excellence and commercial skill on their most important matters.
  • Litigation and alternative dispute resolution expertise: In the event that a dispute arises during the course of a project, clients can count on our integrated team of construction litigators to work to get the project back on track and resolve the dispute. Our lawyers provide mediation, arbitration, litigation and other alternative dispute resolution advice, and are very familiar with construction legislations across Canada.
  • National and U.S. capabilities: Drawing on a full range of project development and litigation services across the firm, Osler can build a team and provide services tailored to each client’s specific needs.

Our National Construction and Infrastructure Group provides valuable insight and business acumen in the areas of project structuring, risk identification and allocation, financing, contract negotiation and documentation, and dispute resolution on a broad range of commercial, industrial and institutional construction projects and mega projects, including

  • energy (e.g., on-shore and off-shore wind, solar, natural gas, oil sands, nuclear and LNG)
  • behind-the-meter power generation
  • infrastructure developments
  • public-private partnerships (P3)
  • alternative financing and procurement
  • health
  • transportation
  • mining
  • other industrial processes

Osler’s team of lawyers is very active in the construction industry in Canada and closely monitors evolving trends and legislative changes that may affect clients. Our professionals are members of the Construction & Infrastructure Section of the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian College of Construction Lawyers, the American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, Professional Engineers Ontario and the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships.

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Richard Wong

Partner, Commercial

Toronto, Montréal

Paula Olexiuk

Partner, Energy and Construction

Calgary

Paul Ivanoff

Partner, Litigation

Toronto

  • Canada Growth Fund

    The Canada Growth Fund in its connection with its carbon credit offtake agreement and $200 million strategic investment in Entropy Inc.

  • Lanfine Wind

    Pattern Energy Group LP in its 150 MW Lanfine Wind power project

  • Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

    The IESO in its procurement of seven new battery storage projects and two new natural gas-fired generators

  • Paintearth Wind Project LP

    Potentia Renewables Inc. and Greengate Power Corporation in connection with the financing for the Paintearth Wind Project

  • Independent Electricity System Operator

    Independent Electricity System Operator in respect of the Oneida Battery Storage facility

  • The Bank of Nova Scotia

    The Bank of Nova Scotia in its 15-year renewable energy PPA

  • Pattern Energy Group LP

    Pattern in its $1.2 billion refinancing of the 300 MW Henvey Inlet wind generation facility

  • Toronto Transit Commission

    Toronto Transit Commission in connection with the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension

  • City of Toronto

    City of Toronto in connection with Union Station Litigation

  • Stuart Olson

    Stuart Olson - The Board of Directors of Stuart Olson in the company’s acquisition by Bird Construction

  • St. John's Mental Health Facility

    Marco/Cahill Mental Health Partnership in Plenary-led consortium’s DBFM contract for the New Adult Mental Health and Addictions Facility in St. John’s, NL

  • Veolia Health Operating Services

    Veolia Health Operating Services in the design-build defect claims against the constructors of the new Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal

  • Utilities Kingston

    Utilities Kingston in its $30 million construction litigation dispute with North America Construction

  • Calgary Municipal Land Corporation

    Calgary Municipal Land Corporation in connection with the $550 million Calgary Event Centre

  • Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec

    Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec in its $50 million investment in Pomerleau Inc.

  • Henvey Inlet Wind LP

    Henvey Inlet Wind LP in the $1 billion financing and construction of the Henvey Inlet Wind Farm

  • WS Atkins PLC

    WS Atkins PLC in its acquisition by SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. in a deal worth $3.6 billion

  • South West Calgary Ring Road P3 Project

    Acted for the preferred proponent for the $1.42 billion South West Calgary Ring Road P3 project

  • iCON Infrastructure

    iCON Infrastructure in its agreement to acquire Capstone Infrastructure for $480 million

  • Apache Canada Ltd.

    Apache Canada Ltd. on construction and procurement matters for the proposed Kitimat LNG terminal and Pacific Trail Pipeline.

  • Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

    Atomic Energy of Canada Limited on procurement, construction and consulting contracts for the construction of various waste storage facilities and infrastructure located at Chalk River Laboratories; the Ontario Nuclear Procurement Project conducted by Infrastructure Ontario and the refurbishment and retubing work required for the restart of major nuclear generating stations including Bruce Power Nuclear Generating Station (Ontario) and Point Lepreau Generating Station (New Brunswick).

  • Pattern Energy Group LP

    Pattern Energy Group LP on the negotiations of the EPC contract and Turbine Supply Agreement for the 138 MW St. Joseph Wind Farm in Manitoba, and on construction and equipment procurement for renewable power projects in Ontario and other provinces.

  • PetroChina

    PetroChina on its development of the Dover and MacKay River oil sands projects.

  • Various developers 

    Various developers of gas-fired power projects on the EPC contract, turbine supply, other equipment supply contracts, O&M agreements and interconnection agreements, including for the York Energy Centre (393MW) peaker and the East Windsor Cogeneration Centre (92 MW) in Ontario for Veresen Inc. (formerly Pristine Power); the Thorold Cogeneration Project (236 MW) in Ontario and the North Battleford Energy Centre (260 MW) and the Spy Hill Generating Station (92 MW) in Saskatchewan.

  • Various contractors

    Various contractors, including Stone & Webster Canada LP on disputes in the construction at the Lambton and Nanticoke Power Generating Stations; M.A. Mortenson Company on the EPC contract for Enbridge’s Leader Wind Project A (100 MW) and Project B (99 MW) in Kincardine, Ontario; and Signal Energy on civil works and EPC contracts for wind farm and other renewable power projects in Nova Scotia, Alberta and Ontario. 

  • Find More

  • Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Construction Law (Band 1)
    • "I have been very impressed with their knowledge of Canadian law and precedents and their understanding of the business issues in transactions."
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Construction Law (Toronto, Ontario)