Canada Growth Fund

Acting for Canada Growth Fund and Canada Growth Fund Investment Management Inc. with an equity investment of US$25 million in Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc., an integrated Québec-based company specializing in graphite mining and processing. This investment marks CGF’s first transaction in critical minerals sector and its first direct investment in Québec.

PPG Industries Inc.

Acted as Canadian counsel to PPG Industries Inc. in the US$550-million sale of 100% of its architectural coatings business in the U.S. and Canada to American Industrial Partners.

eStruxture Data Centers

Acted for eStruxture Data Centers, Canada’s leading data centre platform, in connection with Fengate Asset Management’s record-breaking C$1.8-billion investment transaction. This deal won Digital Infrastructure Acquisition of the Year at the IJInvestor Americas Awards 2024.

Mason Resources Inc.

Acted for Mason Graphite Inc. with the sale of the Lac Guéret Property, targeted for the development of graphite at the Uatnan Mining Project, to Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. in consideration of 6,208,210 common shares of Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. 

Laurentian Bank of Canada

Acting for LBC Capital inc. in Chrono Aviation's restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act proceeding.

The Canada Life Assurance Company

Acted for The Canada Life Assurance Company and its affiliates with the C$185.5-million financing of a portfolio of three hydroelectric generating facilities located in British Columbia and Quebec totalling approximately 107 MW owned by Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. The Gilles Lefrancois Project (24 MW) is located in Levis, Quebec and the Rutherford Creek (50 MW) and Miller Creek (33 MW) Projects are located near Squamish-Lillooet, British Columbia. The projects are fully-contracted with take-or-pay contracts with Hydro-Quebec and BC Hydro, respectively.

Warwick Hotels and Resorts

Acted for Warwick Hotels and Resorts in the financing and purchase of the iconic luxury hotel Le Crystal in downtown Montréal, which includes a spa and parking facilities.

Jesta Group

Acted for Jesta Capital Corp. in the (i) $128-million sale of the iconic Château Viger/Gare Berry to Allied Properties REIT in August 2021; and (ii) construction financing and subsequent $121-million sale of a 7-storey newly constructed office building to Allied Properties REIT in October 2022; including the 10-year lease to Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada as anchor tenant of this new office building.

Mason Graphite Inc.

Acted for Mason Graphite Inc. with its entering into an option and joint venture agreement with Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. for the development of the Lac Guéret graphite project and Nouveau Monde’s concurrent strategic private placement in common shares of Mason Graphite; and Mason Graphite’s change of business from a Tier 2 mining issuer to a Tier 2 investment issuer, pursuant to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange.

The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited

Acted for The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited in (i) its C$295.35 million acquisition of an undivided 50% interest in the Fairview Pointe-Claire shopping centre located in Pointe-Claire, Québec, and its adjacent lands, from Ivanhoe Cambridge, and (ii) its C$232 million sale of an undivided 50% interest in the Galeries d'Anjou shopping centre located in Montréal to Ivanhoe Cambridge. Following the transaction, The Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited became, directly or indirectly through affiliates, the sole owner of the Fairview Pointe-Claire shopping centre and its adjacent lands, whereas Ivanhoe Cambridge became, directly or indirectly through affiliates, the sole owner of the Galeries d'Anjou shopping centre. 

Nelmar Group

Acted for the shareholders of Nelmar Security Packing Systems Inc., Plastixx Extrusion Technologies Inc. and Plastixx FFS Technologies Inc. in the sale of their 100% interest to Balcan Plastics Ltd., a subsidiary of BDT Capital Partners.

Fédération des Caisses Desjardins

Acted for Fédération des Caisses Desjardins in connection with the cross-border restructuring of Cirque du Soleil under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act and Chapter 15 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code as well as the implementation of cash management arrangements and other facilities.

Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust

Acted for Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) in the $268-million acquisition from Rockhill Apartments Inc. of a multi-residential rental property comprising 1,004 suites in Montréal, Québec. The REIT, which co-acquired the property with Investors Real Property Fund, is the asset and property manager for the co-tenancy and is earning fees for these services.

Claridge IC Properties, Limited Partnership

Acted for Claridge IC Properties, Limited Partnership in a joint venture in connection with Les Loges St-Nicolas, located in Lévis, on the south shore of Québec City. This ground-up development is expected to comprise 8 phases totalling 850 condo-style rental apartments for a development cost exceeding C$250 million.

First Capital Realty Inc.

Acting for First Capital Realty Inc. in connection with the redevelopment, in multiple joint ventures, of Centre Commercial Wilderton, a mixed-use project for a major shopping complex in Montréal, which will include commercial spaces, a retirement residence and a residential tower.

Claridge Real Estate Inc.

Acting for Claridge Real Estate Inc. in the acquisition and redevelopment of 2 buildings comprising 426 residential rental units and ancillary commercial property, in Toronto (Ontario), in joint venture with Reserve Properties and Palomino Capital.

First Capital Realty Inc.

Acted for First Capital Realty Inc. in the refinancing with an institutional lender of 5 commercial properties in Montréal and Québec.

Tour des Canadiens L.P.

Acted for the Tour des Canadiens L.P. in the sale of 1909 Taverne Moderne, a landmark retail asset. This is Canada's largest sports bar and restaurant with its three storeys representing an area of 25,174 square-feet.

Claridge Real Estate Inc.

Acting for Claridge Real Estate Inc. in the acquisition of a 95 acre site in Ottawa (Ontario), and the development thereon of a multi-use project including 647 single family and townhouse lots, a 230 residential project, a school site and public parks, in joint venture with Regional Group and Palomino Capital.

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec

Acted for Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec in connection with an investment of $1.9 billion in SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. to finance a portion of the acquisition by SNC-Lavalin of all the share capital of WS Atkins plc. The Caisse's investment is structured as (i) a loan of $1.5 billion, secured by the value and cash flows of SNC-Lavalin's interest in the Highway 407 ETR project; and (ii) a subscription of approximately $400 million in subscription receipts of SNC-Lavalin.

Groupe Montoni / VSL Logistics Hub Limited Partnership

Acted for Groupe Montoni, in partnership with Montez Corporation and Lotus Real Estate Group, in its acquisition of Sears Canada's distribution centre in Montréal's borough of Saint-Laurent, the leaseback to Sears of a 1.6 million sq. ft. portion of the property and the subsequent redevelopment and leasing of the property.

Claridge IC Properties, LP

Acted for Claridge IC Properties, LP, an investment vehicle formed by Claridge Properties Ltd. and Ivanhoé Cambridge Inc., in connection with its participation in various residential development projects, including the "Chartwell Le Prescott Residence," a new retirement residence in Vaudreuil-Dorion.

TeleTech Holdings, Inc.

Acted for TeleTech Holdings, Inc., a leading global provider of customer experience, engagement and growth solutions, in connection with its $59-million acquisition of Atelka Enterprise Inc., a Québec-based customer experience provider of services to leading Canadian telecom, logistics and entertainment companies.

Group of Leading Financial Institutions

Acted for a group of leading financial institutions in connection with the $1.25-billion refinancing for Air Canada. The group included TD Securities Inc., as representative of the initial purchasers of $200-million of Air Canada's 4.75% senior secured notes due 2023, and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and lender under a new US$1.1-billion senior secured credit facility.

Claridge IC Properties, Limited Partnership

Acted for Claridge IC Properties, Limited Partnership, an investment vehicle formed by Claridge Properties Ltd. and Ivanhoé Cambridge Inc., in connection with its participation in the "ESTuaire Condos", a residential development project planned in four phases of 54 condos each, in Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montréal.

Kimco Realty Corporation

Acted for Kimco Realty Corporation in connection with the sale by its affiliates of co-ownership interests and partnership interests in a portfolio of 18 shopping centres located in Alberta and British Columbia to Anthem Properties Group Ltd. for $413 million dollars.

Resolute Forest Products Inc.

Acted for Resolute Forest Products Inc. in connection with the sale of the Laurentide paper mill to Société de développement de Shawinigan Inc.

Public Sector Pension Investment Board

Acted for Public Sector Pension Investment Board in connection with the acquisition by way of a joint venture with Henley Holding Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, of a 58 million square foot portfolio of core industrial properties held by investment funds owned and managed by Exeter Property Group for US $3.15 billion.

Groupe Trans-Inter Inc.

Acted for the GTI Group, a Montréal-based provider of specialty transport solutions, in connection with an investment by Novacap.

Confidential client

Acted for a large Canadian pension fund in connection with the sale of its interest in a portfolio of hotel and resort properties for a consideration of several hundred million dollars.

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board

Acted for the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board in connection with the sale to Ivanhoé Cambridge of a 50% interest in Carrefour de l'Estrie shopping centre located in Sherbrooke, Québec, which is the largest shopping centre in Québec's Eastern Townships region, and the resulting joint venture.

InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust

Acted for InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust in connection with the sale of the Hotel Delta Centre-Ville (Montréal).

AbitibiBowater Inc.

Acted for AbitibiBowater Inc. (now known as Resolute Forest Products) and some of its subsidiaries in connection with the disposal of assets and sale of pulp and paper mills following their shutdown.

Masonite International Corporation

Acted for Masonite International Corporation in connection with its acquisition, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, of all of the capital stock of the Québec-based corporation, Lemieux Doors Inc., known for its broad range of high quality panel and French wood doors and its market leading service proposition.

Dassault Systèmes SE

Acted for Dassault Systèmes SE in connection with its acquisition of the shares of Gemcom Software International Inc., a geological modeling and simulation company which is a world leader in mining industry software solutions with operations in 13 jurisdictions around the world, for approximately US$360 million.

Masonite International Corporation

Acted for Masonite International Corporation in connection with its acquisition of Québec-based Baillargeon Doors Inc.

Kimco Realty Corporation

Acted for Kimco Realty Corporation, as part of separate joint ventures, in its acquisition of interests in three Canadian shopping centres comprising 377,000 square feet for USD $113.6 million, including $47.9 million of mortgage debt.

G.I. Sportz Inc.

Acted for G.I. Sportz Inc. in its acquisition of the assets of Procaps LP, a leading paintball manufacturer, and its affiliates in connection with a receivership process.

Baosteel Resources International Co., Ltd.

Acted for Baosteel Resources International Co., Ltd., part of The Baosteel Group and one of the largest steel producers in China and worldwide, in connection with its investment in Noront Resources Ltd., by way of a private placement.

Century 21 Department Stores

Acted for Century 21 Department Stores in its $27-million acquisition of a commercial retail building in downtown Montréal.

Yoplait France SAS

Acted for Yoplait France SAS, the second largest brand in fresh dairy products in the world, in connection with its acquisition of Québec-based Liberté Brand Products from its management and investment firms, Swander Pace Capital LLC and Roynat Capital Inc.

Rogers Sugar Income Fund

Acted for Rogers Sugar Income Fund in its $50-million public offering of principal amount of convertible unsecured subordinated debentures.

Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec

Acted for Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and certain of its affiliates in connection with the sale of approximately US$600 million of private equity interests held by Caisse and its affiliates in tier-I private equity funds to a group of four separate buyers of secondary private equity fund interests.

AbitibiBowater Inc.

Acted for AbitibiBowater Inc. (now known as Resolute Forest Products) and its subsidiaries in connection with the sale of idled pulp and paper mills in Ontario, Québec and New Brunswick to American Iron & Metal LP.

Ritz-Carlton, Montréal

Acting for the owners of the Ritz-Carlton, Montréal in connection with the redevelopment of the property as a boutique hotel and luxury Ritz-Carlton condominiums.

OpenForumOuvert Communications, Journées stratégiques sur les baux commerciaux, “Flexibilité des baux dans la location de bureau : perspectives des locateurs et des locataires”; Montréal, QC

May 13, 2024

John Molson Executive Centre, “Real Estate Law”; Montréal, QC

May 02, 2024

Doing Business in Canada 2023, contributor

Nov. 14, 2023 - Davies’ Doing Business in Canada guide provides executives, in-house counsel and foreign investors with an overview of the legal framework governing Canadian business operations and outlines key considerations for investing and conducting business in Canada…

Moderator, OpenForumOuvert Communications, Journées stratégiques sur les baux commerciaux, “Intégration des critères ESG dans le bail commercial”; Montréal, QC

May 15, 2023

« Deux ans de pandémie : quels lendemains pour l’immobilier commercial? », co-author

May 19, 2022 - Premières en affaires, Spring 2022, p. 42-43
Download this article (in French).

Instructor, John-Molson School of Business and IDU Institut de développement immobilier, Real Estate Management Certification Course, ‘Real Estate Law’; Montréal, QC; February 25-26, 2022

Feb. 26, 2022

Instructor, John-Molson School of Business and IDU Institut de développement immobilier, Real Estate Management Certification Course, ‘Real Estate Law’; Montréal, QC; June 12-13, 2021

June 13, 2021