Lexpert®Ranked Lawyers
Nishimura, Warren
Blake, Cassels &
Graydon LLP
(403) 260-9664
warren.nishimura@
blakes.com
Mr. Nishimura's
practices extend to
syndicated credit
facilities in the energy
sector, often involving
the US, Europe and
Central America. His
experience embraces
project fi nancings,
including on and off
balance-sheet lease
matters.
Northey, Rodney V.
Gowling Lafl eur
Henderson LLP
(416) 369-6666
rodney.northey@
gowlings.com
Mr. Northey focuses
on environmental
assessments, land
use, legal approvals
affecting the
environment, and
related hearings and
appeals. His work
covers projects in
the energy, resource
extraction, waste,
water, transportation,
and transit sectors.
O'Neill, Seán C.
McCarthy Tétrault LLP
(416) 601-7699
soneill@mccarthy.ca
Mr. O'Neill's practice
focuses on M&A,
project fi nance and
development, and
commercial contracting
in the power sector.
His clients include
investors, developers
and fi nanciers
of all generation
technologies,
including nuclear.
Nixon,
Christopher W.
Stikeman Elliott LLP
(403) 266-9017
cnixon@stikeman.
com
Mr. Nixon's practice
focuses on M&A,
corporate fi nance, JVs,
and corporate/trust
reorganizations and
governance. Clients
include oil and gas
exploration and oilfi eld
service corporations,
and investment dealers
in Canada, the US,
Europe and Asia.
O'Callaghan, Kevin
Fasken Martineau
DuMoulin LLP
(604) 631-4839
kocallaghan@fasken.
com
Mr. O'Callaghan
provides strategic
advice to oil and
gas, energy and
mining clients on
Aboriginal, regulatory,
environmental
assessment and
other CSR issues. He
has appeared before
courts and tribunals on
license challenges and
environmental issues.
Oliver, Eden M.
Bennett Jones LLP
(416) 777-7499
olivere@bennettjones.
com
Ms. Oliver is
experienced in
international and
domestic corporate/
commercial
transactions, JVs,
M&A, private
investments, fi nancing
and restructuring. She
has transactional,
advisory and regulatory
expertise, particularly
in the energy and
mining sectors.
Ontario and Quebec | 37
Group, has a mandate to recommend ways to improve
the effi ciency and optimize the full value of government-
owned assets such as Hydro One and Ontario Power Gen-
eration.
Due to report by the end of 2014, "actions the govern-
ment might take as a result of the Council's report could
have a profound impact on the energy environment in
Ontario," Freitag says. "It will very much depend upon
the nature of the effi ciency and optimization measures
adopted by the government in relation to Hydro One and
Ontario Power Generation as to how profound this im-
pact will be. For example, Hydro One has been active in
purchasing some licensed distribution companies in the
province, this may or may not change depending upon
what measures are adopted."
Still, in both provinces community support will, to a
high degree, determine which projects go forward. Any
energy initiative in Quebec "has to be done in an envi-
ronmentally sound manner and you have to have local ac-
ceptance from communities as well as First Nations," says
La Flèche. " is means that project proponents must be
prepared to share in a meaningful way the benefi ts to be
derived from projects."
For example, " e September call for 450 MW of new
wind power provides that projects must be at least 50 per
cent controlled by local communities and/or First Na-
tions, irrespective of the actual level of local or First Nation
ownership," he says. " is requirement has not driven the
private sector away. Quebec has an enviable track record
with its calls for proposal. Once announced Quebec sees
them through."
Community support as a key determinant for a project's
go-ahead in the renewable sector is true in Ontario, too.
"It's not so much government targets, but rather commu-
nity support that will determine what renewable energy
projects get built," says Vegh. "I think there's still plenty of
room in government targets, but the big driver will be 'can
you get community support?' I think that will slow down
the tide a bit, so we won't see the kind of development that
we've seen over the last fi ve years or so."
As to commercial growth opportunities, says Vegh,
"there are a number of large players in the renewable mar-
"[Premier Wynne] renamed the Ministry of Environment as the Ministry
of Environment and Climate Change. This is the fi rst time that climate
change has been an explicit part of a ministry title."
– DIANNE SAXE, SAXE LAW CORPORATION
