Heenan Blaikie’s reputation with municipalities and related bodies is derived from our in-depth knowledge of administrative law. In our view, a perfect command of administrative law is indispensable to any major law firm focused on providing complete legal services. We have demonstrated our skills on numerous occasions. We have had the opportunity to issue opinions on the validity of by-laws and decrees, among others, and to challenge them when needed.
Our Municipal Law group represents a vast array of clients who are actively involved in municipal affairs, including:
- municipalities, townships and boroughs
- school boards
- hospitals
- municipal agencies
- port facilities
- enterprises developing energy projects
- shopping centres
- Crown corporations
- property owners, managers and developers
Services Overview
Heenan Blaikie’s Municipal Law group provides advice in connection with:
- Land use planning – development plans, zoning by-laws, subdivisions, contaminated land, preservation of agricultural land
- Legislation regarding contracts and tenders – compliance matters, municipal contracts and obligations, corporate governance, commercial real estate, public-private partnerships, as well as development, financing and site plan agreements
- Construction – drafting and negotiation of contracts for school and hospital buildings, environmental assessments of construction sites, tender and contract formation issues for municipal construction projects
- Tender and contract formation issues regarding any municipal subject
- Taxation – tax assessments, municipal tax appeals, transfer taxes, loan by-laws, special taxes, municipal tax accounts, assessment roll
- Litigation – representation of municipalities and other bodies in cases before federal and provincial courts, boards and agencies; tax appeals litigation; environmental claims; land use litigation; commercial contract disputes; construction litigation, litigation regarding the preservation of agricultural land
- Real estate and condo – financing of real estate projects, expropriations, preparation of condo developments, tax assessments on commercial and industrial properties
- Regulatory law – drafting, review, implementation and enforcement of municipal ordinances and by-laws, utilities regulations, municipal by-laws and zoning regulations
- Labour and employment law – workplace health and safety, workers’ compensation, wrongful termination, sexual harassment, employee discipline, workplace investigations, compliance with labour standards
- Government relations – city mergers, municipal infrastructure projects, municipal elections and referendums, administration of school elections, drafting and review of by-laws and other regulations
- Arbitration and dispute resolution – settlement of collective bargaining disputes, mediation and arbitration of disputes involving parties contracting with municipalities, fact-finding investigations, grievance arbitration
- Environmental law issues – protection of water sources, waste management, transportation of toxic substances, brownfield development, prohibition on land farming, shore and wetland protection, green energy projects
Our Municipal Law group comprises some of Canada’s leading practitioners in this area of expertise. Their publications have become a reference in the field practice and they are often at the forefront of the most challenging issues presently debated by municipal authorities.