Environment
Canada Guide 2025 : Nationwide - Canada
Band 3
Email address
[email protected]Contact number
+1 416 362 2111About
Provided by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Osler’s environmental experts provide environmental advice relating to all aspects of major project development, including environmental assessments, approvals and permits, waste and soil, contaminated lands, and general environmental compliance. The team provides strategic and ongoing advice on the environmental implication of major projects. In addition, Osler represents clients in all aspects of environmental litigation, including civil actions, prosecutions, class actions, administrative hearings and judicial review applications.
Chambers Review
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt is a notable law firm with a strong track record for advising clients on a variety of environmental matters including project development, environmental assessment reviews, contaminated land and general compliance issues. The practice is additionally well positioned to represent clients in environmental litigation, such as administrative hearings and civil actions, as well as in the tribunal appeal process. Its regulatory, environmental, Aboriginal and land (REAL) group is respected for its representation of clients from the energy and natural resources sector. The team is primarily based out of the Toronto and Calgary offices, with national reach across Canada.
Work Highlights
- Osler advised the Province of Manitoba on drafting a new regulatory framework in the province to allow and regulate carbon capture and sequestration.
Strengths
Provided by Chambers
"Osler provides very pragmatic advice that is always on point. It is able to handle large and complex cases with ease, and has an extremely strong team with a vast breadth of knowledge and experience."
"I am impressed by the team's ability to evaluate complex environmental issues and distil those points to the client in an effective manner."
"The Osler team was very strong and extremely responsive to our needs."
"Osler provides practical, solution-focused advice in a very timely manner. The team has always been able to handle every legal request in this area that we have provided it with."
"The law firm thoroughly reviews all aspects and potential impacts of a matter, which often educates us on additional concerns."
"Osler provides very pragmatic advice that is always on point. It is able to handle large and complex cases with ease, and has an extremely strong team with a vast breadth of knowledge and experience."
"I am impressed by the team's ability to evaluate complex environmental issues and distil those points to the client in an effective manner."
"The Osler team was very strong and extremely responsive to our needs."
"Osler provides practical, solution-focused advice in a very timely manner. The team has always been able to handle every legal request in this area that we have provided it with."
"The law firm thoroughly reviews all aspects and potential impacts of a matter, which often educates us on additional concerns."
Notable Practitioners
Operating out of Calgary, Shawn Denstedt KC is chair emeritus at Osler. He is an accomplished environmental lawyer who is well versed inregulatory issues arising in the energy and natural resources industries, and regularly advises on permitting issues.
Based in Calgary, Brad Gilmour is well known for his experience in the environmental space, having guided a number of clients through investigations and site remediations.
"I cannot say enough good things about Brad Gilmour. He has all the qualities you are looking for - he is responsive and a subject matter expert. He is always there to assist."
"Brad Gilmour is very strategic, presents extremely well, has good knowledge of the regulators and is a good team builder."
"Some of the work is very complex and he can boil it down to help me understand it in a clear and simplified manner. He stands out in responsiveness, breadth of knowledge and experience across Canada."
"You would be hard pressed to find someone more responsive, more helpful and more pragmatic than Brad Gilmour. He is the epitome of a trusted adviser."
"Brad Gilmour was very detailed and knowledgeable in all aspects I required him to help with."
Toronto-based Jennifer Fairfax is active onenvironmental assessments as well as remediation and contamination matters. Her practice additionally covers the environmental aspects of corporate transactions and regulatory compliance. She acts on behalf of a range of national and international clients, often in the energy and infrastructure sectors.
"Jennifer Fairfax is an incredible lawyer and trusted confidante. She provides practical guidance and is a go-to for a gut check. I trust her completely with my cases and her work is always perfect."
"Jennifer Fairfax provides a superb service level and attention to detail. She is definitely one of the top lawyers I have worked with."
"Jennifer Fairfax is a tremendous subject matter expert. She is very responsive, provides balanced and measured input, and is very collaborative and productive to work with."
"Jennifer Fairfax is very responsive and timely in addressing the client's needs. She has consistently added value to how we have presented the issues."
"Jennifer Fairfax was extremely responsive and consistently provided excellent service."
Evan Barz is a Toronto-based associate with expertise in complex environmental regulatory matters and disputes.
"Evan Barz is great! He is extremely knowledgeable and knows his cases inside out. He is always keen to help and is good at distilling complicated concepts down to ways others can understand."
"Evan Barz is an outstanding associate."
"Evan Barz has an incredible ability to explain complex issues in understandable terms."
Ranked Lawyers at
Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP
Nationwide - Canada