Aboriginal Law
Canada Guide 2025 : Nationwide - Canada
Band 3
About
Provided by Dentons Canada LLP
Clients benefit from the strength of Dentons’ highly experienced Aboriginal Law team to navigate the complexities that arise when Aboriginal rights and treaty rights are involved in business transactions and projects. The team has helped organizations across a wide variety of industry sectors to successfully resolve Aboriginal rights issues related to their business. Clients leverage our experience in negotiating mutually beneficial agreements with Aboriginal groups, and benefit from strategic advice on a variety of issues relating to Aboriginal rights and treaty rights, including the impact of Aboriginal land claims on the development of their projects and investments, and the implications of a government’s duty to consult and accommodate Aboriginal Peoples, as appropriate.
The rights of Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples are protected under the Canadian Constitution and can impact both Canadian businesses and foreign companies that invest in Canada. Aboriginal rights—whether they have been defined by treaties or the courts, or otherwise exist in relation to activities, practices and traditions of Canada’s Aboriginal Peoples—must be taken into account when doing business in Canada. Dentons’ Aboriginal Law team can provide the extensive knowledge and experience that clients need to be successful.
Chambers Review
Dentons Canada provides advice to companies from the energy, forestry, transportation and mining sectors on a wide range of issues relating to Aboriginal project development. Its Indigenous law group leverages the firm's national and international presence to provide an integrated Aboriginal, environmental and regulatory law perspective, with areas of expertise including land claims, treaty rights, benefits and access agreements, and related litigation. The group is well known for its experience in relation to large-scale pipeline and LNG matters. The department has a particularly strong presence in Montréal, with additional capacity in Calgary and Vancouver.
Calgary-based Bernard Roth and Laura Estep are key contacts at the firm.
Work Highlights
- Dentons acted for Hydro-Québec in five litigation matters brought by the Innu of Pessamitrelating to its hydroelectric projects.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Dentons offers an excellent combination of industry-relevant technical, regulatory and legal expertise."
"They have a large team that covers all areas of regulatory and Indigenous law with significant depth of experience across all matter types."
"Dentons offers an excellent combination of industry-relevant technical, regulatory and legal expertise."
"They have a large team that covers all areas of regulatory and Indigenous law with significant depth of experience across all matter types."
