Major Projects

Strategic Counsel for Every Stage in the Project Lifecycle

The Cassels National Major Projects Team has been involved in supporting numerous multi-billion dollar complex and transformational projects of national interest across many industries and the entire project lifecycle. We have a proven track record of working across jurisdictions and managing major projects that require coordination and alignment among numerous stakeholders.

Cassels has extensive connections and expertise across all industries and at all levels of government, including Indigenous, Federal, Provincial, and Municipal, in the context of spearheading projects to completion.

How We Can Help

Across the evolving Canadian infrastructure, energy, and natural resources landscape, clients rely on our proven track record as trusted legal advisors to developers, governments, investors, and communities in driving Canada’s most ambitious projects. We partner with clients from concept to completion, offering integrated legal counsel, regulatory advice, and strategic guidance across the full project lifecycle. From transaction structuring and deal negotiation to legal advice and advocacy, we provide strategic counsel to ensure our clients’ success.

We have the expertise to assist our clients to seamlessly fast-track projects in all jurisdictions across the country.

Full Project Lifecycle Support: From early-stage strategic planning and regulatory approvals to permitting, financing, construction, and long-term operations and maintenance, we provide continuous legal coverage across the entire project lifecycle.

Integrated, Multidisciplinary Service Delivery: Our team includes experts in regulatory law, Aboriginal law, construction and infrastructure, energy, and mining and natural resources – ensuring that every aspect of your project is aligned and executed with precision.

Risk Management & Strategic Insight: We anticipate challenges before they arise, tailoring legal strategies to evolving market conditions, stakeholder expectations, and government priorities.

Energy

We have deep experience across pipelines, oil and gas, renewables, nuclear, hydroelectric, and electricity transmission to support Canada’s energy transition and infrastructure modernization. Our renowned Energy Group has worked on multi-billion-dollar projects of national interest, Indigenous-owned projects, and critical power projects ranging from microgrids and battery storage to energy regulation and clean technology.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories on critical regulatory and Aboriginal law matters related to the Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) at Chalk River Laboratories—Canada’s leading nuclear research facility; this included representation in five judicial review hearings and appeals involving Indigenous rights, environmental assessment, and the Species at Risk Act. The NSDF is designed to safely store low-level radioactive waste, including waste generated from the production of medical isotopes that have enabled over one billion treatments worldwide.
Trans Mountain Corporation, for more than a decade, on regulatory and land approvals for the in-service $34 billion, 1,147 km Trans Mountain Expansion Project, which is owned by the Government of Canada and involved extensive public hearings before the Canada Energy Regulator, including over 100 detailed route hearings processes which affirmed the pipeline route, and oral hearings with landowners, municipalities, and Indigenous groups.
Government of Canada, through the Ministry of Natural Resources, in connection with its credit substitution guarantee for the $13.5 billion Muskrat Falls hydroelectric project, a renewable energy project that includes an 824 MW hydroelectric generating facility and over 1,600 km of transmission lines across the province (including a subsea transmission link connecting Labrador to the island), HVDC (high voltage direct current) installations including converter stations, and the Maritime Link transmission line, developed by Emera Inc., connecting Newfoundland and Nova Scotia.
Transmission Developers Inc. (Canada) in connection with the financing of TDI CHPExpress, a Blackstone portfolio company, as required to begin construction on the Champlain Hudson Power Express, a 339-mile fully-buried transmission line with an overall project cost of approximately $6 billion that will deliver 1,250 MW of competitively-priced clean and renewable hydropower from Québec to New York City.
Hydro One Networks Inc. with respect to Aboriginal, contract, and regulatory matters in relation to renewable electricity and transmission projects, including the Lake Superior Link Transmission Line, Wawa Transformer Station Expansion, Bruce to Milton Transmission Project, Niagara Reinforcement Project, and Waasigan Transmission Line.

Mining & Critical Minerals

We advise on exploration, development, permitting, Indigenous partnerships, and ESG compliance for some of Canada’s largest mining projects. Our internationally acclaimed mining group is the largest and most experienced in Canada, and we are ranked as a Tier 1 firm for mining law by Chambers (in each of their Australia, Global, Canada, and Latin America guides).

Generation Mining Limited in successfully obtaining federal and provincial regulatory and environmental assessment approvals and Indigenous agreements for construction and operation of the Marathon Palladium Copper Project, which was subject to a multi-year federal-provincial Joint Review Panel process that considered input from seven Indigenous groups, 50 intervenors, and 10 federal, provincial, and government agencies (the process was among the largest regulatory hearings of 2022).
Greenstone Gold Mines in connection with its regulatory and environmental matters relating to the Greenstone Mine, including advice on both the federal and provincial environmental assessments as well as major equipment procurement and negotiation of four separate exploration agreements and a substantial impact benefit agreement impacting five First Nations.
Lithium Americas Corp. in its US$650 million equity investment and supply agreement with General Motors Company (GM), with the parties entering into an offtake agreement for GM to purchase all lithium carbonate offtake produced on stage 1 of the Thacker Pass lithium project in Humbolt County, Nevada.
Yamana Gold Inc. in its US$4.8 billion acquisition by Pan American Silver Corp. and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited, following the sale by Yamana of its Canadian assets, including Yamana’s interests in the Canadian Malartic mine, a major gold producing mine in Quebec, to Agnico Eagle Mines Limited.

Ports & Infrastructure

We act as legal counsel for major transportation, logistics, and critical civil infrastructure projects, including public-private partnerships and complex procurement models.

Prince Rupert Port Authority on more than $1 billion in export infrastructure projects and legal processes, including the sale of Ridley Terminal Inc. by the Government of Canada, and with respect to Aboriginal, regulatory, real estate, and litigation legal advice on numerous projects including CANXPORT (various commercial matters), Wolverine Terminals (approval and judicial review), Trigon Project (environmental assessment matters), Lelu Island (injunction matters and ongoing Indigenous civil claims matters in the BC Supreme Court), and REEF (judicial review), including in relation to Canada Infrastructure Bank funding and related settlements.
Infrastructure Ontario for over 20 years in connection with numerous projects, including a major infrastructure development – Highway 407 East Extension Project, Phases 1 and 2 – the scope of which included corporate, commercial, construction, procurement, real estate, and project finance matters (in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation).
407 International Inc. and 407 ETR Concession Company Limited in the negotiation of the Highway 407 construction of Tolled Highway 407 as well as the Highway 407 Concession and Ground Lease Agreement, the Restriction on Transfer Agreement, the Tolling, Congestion Relief, and Expansion Agreement, and all other agreements with the Province of Ontario.
Metrolinx in support of its redevelopment interests across Southern Ontario, including in connection with construction, procurement, and project delivery matters for GO Expansion, Ontario Line Early Works, and Ontario Line North packages, and the preparation of commercial agreements for the joint development of land in support of a Transit Oriented Community.

AI Data Centres & Quantum Computing

We support the next generation of digital infrastructure with expertise in technology law, data governance, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance.

Cree Ative Data Center Corp., a majority-owned enterprise of the Woodland Cree First Nation, in relation to its sustainable AI-ready data centre project in Alberta to advance Indigenous-led energy and data infrastructure development in the region.
An industry-leading full-service management consulting firm dedicated to mission critical operations in entering into a design-build contract for the expansion of significant power capacity of additional, leasable critical capacity for a data center located in Ontario.
A global real estate services and property management company on their decision to form a joint venture with an investor as part of acquisition of real property with a goal of building a data centre, including advising on energy, real estate, tax, corporate, employment, and regulatory matters.
Cohere, an enterprise-focused Large Language Model developer, as former Privacy and Regulator Affairs Counsel spearheading global government affairs strategy and engagement, including successfully negotiating international agreements for generative AI models and advising the Government of Canada on its $2.4 billion dollar AI investments and sovereign AI compute.

Indigenous Rights & Partnerships

Grounded in respect and collaboration, we help clients build meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities, including equity participation, consultation, and co-development of major projects. Ranked as a Band 1 firm nationwide by Chambers Canada for seven consecutive years, Cassels has the largest private sector Aboriginal Law Group in Canada, with extensive national expertise and recognized leading practitioners advising in all jurisdictions.

McLeod Lake Indian Band in respect of the $7 billion clean energy project for a proposed Tse’khene hydrogen and energy transition hub, including the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Province of British Columbia that creates the framework for the development of multiple, Indigenous-owned, on-reserve, low-carbon energy projects including a hydrogen production facility and straddle plant.
Métis Nation – Saskatchewan (MN-S) in the signing of a historic impact benefit agreement between MN-S, including all seven Métis Locals of Northern Region II, and NexGen Energy Ltd. in relation to NextGen’s Rook I uranium mine and development project, thought to be the largest Métis impact benefit agreement in Canadian history.
FN CGL Pipeline Limited Partnership (a partnership of five First Nations) in relation to its contribution to and investment and participation in the Coastal GasLink pipeline, which is a 670-kilometre pipeline that transports natural gas from northeastern British Columbia to an LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, BC.
Metro Vancouver in respect of its engagement with First Nations, and all related Aboriginal law, regulatory, and environmental matters, relating to its multi-billion-dollar Northwest Langley Wastewater Treatment Plant and Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant Projects.
Government of Canada, as Chief Negotiator, in respect of the transfer of legislative authority over lands and resources in the Northwest Territories to the Government of the Northwest Territories and in Nunavut to the Government of Nunavut.