The infrastructure group at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP combines strong experience in acting for both private and public-sector participants on major development projects. Demonstrating comprehensive coverage of all key asset classes, the national team is active across the country on major rail, road, hospital, port and airport projects, among others. Among the senior names in Toronto, Catherine Doyle is noted for her private sector-side expertise, with a strong track record in representing lenders, developers and sponsors. Doyle is acting alongside Mark Johnson, who splits his time between Toronto and Ottawa, to advise the ONConnects consortium on its bid for the DBFOM contract for the Ontario Line – Rolling Stock Systems, Operations and Maintenance Project. Other key contacts in Toronto include procurement specialist Marianne Smith. Department head Jeffrey Merrick and Montreal group lead Alain Massicotte are additionally recommended in Vancouver and Montreal respectively.

‘A top firm in the sector’,  Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP is distinguished by its pioneering experience on first-of-a-kind projects throughout North America, including progressive-build models and US campus energy projects, among other recent examples. The group also impresses with its formidably deep bench, which is led jointly by project finance and infrastructure partner William Buchner, who ‘stands out for his commercial judgement’, together with infrastructure and real estate specialist Gregory Southam. Southam is notably advising Aecon Construction Group on the Darlington New Nuclear Small Modular Reactor Project. The practice also draws on the expertise of senior counsel and real estate expert Robert Bauer; project finance specialist Carol Pennycook; project finance and energy-focused partner Nicholas Williams; and David White, who handles a mix of finance and infrastructure work.

The ‘innovative, knowledgeable and commercially astute’ team at DLA Piper (Canada) LLP has been involved in the P3 market in Canada since its inception and brings to bear extensive experience in advising on pathfinder transactions. Toronto-based department head Ian Bendell is a UK-qualified foreign legal consultant, whose experience spans a range of rail, road, health and social infrastructure projects, among others. Bendell is leading the team’s advice to the operations and maintenance joint venture supporting the Connect 6ix team ‎bidding for the Ontario Line Rolling Stock, Systems, Operations and Maintenance Project. ‎In Vancouver, Andrew Burton is a key contact; he is qualified in the UK, Ontario and BC and is advising Crosslinx Transit Solutions on project operations matters relating to the expansion of the Eglinton ‎Crosstown Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project. Vancouver-based procurement specialist Elizabeth Mayer is also recommended.

McCarthy Tétrault’s infrastructure projects practice is evenly distributed between its offices, which translates into comprehensive national coverage of all major infrastructure spheres, including rail, health, government buildings, and energy and natural resources. Toronto-based David Lever co-heads the practice and is recommended for his focus on project finance and energy-related matters. Department co-head Linda Brown, based in Vancouver, specializes in infrastructure projects, with experience across the full range of bidding processes, project finance and secondary market activity. Vancouver-based Morgan Troke is also highly regarded for infrastructure work and recently paired up with Vancouver’s Samantha Cunliffe to advise the ONxpress Transportation Partners consortium on the DBOM contract for the GO Rail Expansion On Corridor Project. Toronto-based real estate and construction specialist Godyne Sibay and Vancouver-based next-generation partner Liezl Behm are also recommended for projects work.

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP houses a full-service projects and infrastructure group, which has experience in representing all stakeholders in project finance and development matters. The team’s recent involvement in a host of major transactions across the transit, energy, and social infrastructure sectors demonstrates its broad practice scope, while the March 2023 promotion of Marta Rochkin to partner highlights its continuing investment in this space. Go-to projects expert Christopher Bennett is widely recognized as a market leader and recently teamed up with Tobor Emakpor to advise EllisDon Infrastructure Justice and EllisDon Capital, as developers, on the commercial and financial close of the C$1.2bn Thunder Bay Correctional Complex project. The group also includes project finance specialist Danna Donald and project development and construction-focused partner Richard Wong, who splits his time between Toronto and Montreal. Named attorneys are based in Toronto unless otherwise stated.

Torys stands out for its Pan-North American projects practice, with the team routinely engaged to advised on transactions in the US, as well as in Canada. The multidisciplinary group draws on infrastructure, energy, Indigenous law, real estate and project finance specialists, among others, which equips it to handle the full projects life cycle — from procurement issues through to development and secondary market transactions. Toronto-based department co-head Mark Bain is sought after for his specialist infrastructure expertise; he recently teamed up with Josh Van Deurzen, also in Toronto, to advise Infrastructure Ontario on the Accelerated High Speed Internet Program. The department is additionally co-led by Toronto-based power expert Krista Hill and New York-based Tara Mackay, who is noted for cross-border work. Other recommended names in Toronto include project finance specialist Scott Kraag; projects and infrastructure partner Daniel Ford; and talented senior associate, Jessica Ho-Wo-Cheong.

Historically best known for its record in energy-related infrastructure, Bennett Jones LLP continues to expand its projects reach. Most notably, Vancouver-based construction and infrastructure specialist David Little teamed up with Vancouver’s Charlene Hiller to advise the BC government, through Transportation Investment Corporation, on a new eight-lane immersed tube tunnel that will replace the existing George Massey Tunnel. Other infrastructure industry sweet spots include healthcare, transport and social infrastructure. Calgary-based Jason Roth anchors the group and specializes in representing owners, developers and contractors on infrastructure projects, particularly in the energy, natural resources, and agriculture spheres.

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP 's integrated projects and construction group is among the largest in Canada, with the ability to draw on well-staffed platforms in key provinces across the country. Vancouver-based infrastructure specialist Douglas Sanders spearheads the department and has strong experience in PPP projects; he is advising Alstom Canada on its participation as a member of ONxpress Transportation Partners for the Metrolinx Regional Express Railway GO Rail Expansion Project, Package 3. In Montreal, Pascale Dionne is noted for project finance work, while Sarah Bird specializes in PPP and project development in Vancouver, and senior counsel Richard Shaban is noted for construction and procurement in Toronto.

According to sources, Fasken’s infrastructure group demonstrates ‘very good industry knowledge and attention to detail’. The team has established a strong reputation for its experience in transit projects, where it is notably representing Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx on the Ontario Line Subway Project. Alongside its work on behalf of Crown corporations and public sector clients, the group also acts for lenders, developers and contractors. From Toronto, Ella Plotkin heads the global infrastructure and projects group; she is acting alongside Toronto-based infrastructure partners, Brian Kelsall and Thomas Barlow, to lead the Ontario Line Subway Project. Other key contacts include Toronto-based procurement specialist Adam Lewinberg and Vancouver-based energy chair Paul Wilson.

Among Gowling WLG’s key attributes, sources value the infrastructure team’s ‘high level of collaboration’ and ‘strong reactivity’. Primarily recognized for its public sector-side work, where it leverages the wider firm’s close relationships with Crown corporations and municipal clients, the group also routinely acts for contractors. In a recent example of its work in the latter sphere, Toronto-based Mark Platteel paired up with talented Vancouver-based senior associate Natasha Rana to advise a consortium (formed by Dragados Canada, Acciona Infrastructure Canada and Aecon Infrastructure Management) on its bid for Phase One of the Calgary Green Line LRT Project. Platteel co-heads the practice together with Toronto-based Ted Betts and Montreal’s Luc Lissoir. Former department co-head Faithe Holder recently retired.

Noted for its ‘knowledge and experience across all infrastructure sectors’, Norton Rose Fulbright’s full-spectrum practice brings together specialists in public and government finance, banking, projects and PPP structures. As to its industry strong suits, the group is widely admired for its record in transport projects — including rail, ports and roads — as well as energy and social infrastructure. From Vancouver, Jay LeMoine fronts the Canadian infrastructure team and is advising the Province of British Columbia on the C$3.1bn Rapid Transit Rail project in Metro Vancouver. Other key contacts include Toronto-based project finance specialist Sandra Nissan and Vancouver-based global head of infrastructure and resources, Douglas Buchanan.

Stikeman Elliott LLP’s practice specializes in representing major banks in infrastructure lending. The team’s finance offering is underpinned by strong skill sets in procurement, construction and engineering-related matters. Vancouver-based Jamie Templeton co-heads the department and is recommended for his experience in project finance, infrastructure investment and M&A. Toronto-based group co-head Patrick Duffy fronts the project development and regulatory side of the practice. Montreal-based Dominique Rolland, who was recently promoted to partner, is also noted for infrastructure transactions. Erik Richer La Flèche recently retired.

With a particular focus on PPP projects, Aird & Berlis LLP’s infrastructure group brings to bear extensive experience in advising on construction, procurement and financing matters. The practice is equipped to represent all key stakeholders across a wide range of infrastructure sectors, but it is arguably best known for its close relationships with municipal clients and Crown corporations, including Infrastructure Ontario, SaskBuilds Corporation and the City of Edmonton. PPP specialist Douglas Younger chairs a department that also includes Heidi Visser, who is noted for project finance.

Dentons enjoys a prominent reputation for transport-related infrastructure matters, where it has a strong record on behalf of public sector clients, including Transport Canada and Montréal Port Authority, among others. The group also acts for developers and lenders on Canadian and international projects. Montreal-based Ilan Dunsky co-heads the department and handles an array of procurement, project development and finance matters. Vancouver-based Jana Mansour co-leads the group and also contributes to the construction and project finance teams.