Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP fields one of the deepest environmental law benches in Canada, with the ability to call on experts in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. It is additionally distinguished by its experience across all key industry sectors, as well as by its coverage of the full range of permitting, environmental assessments, project approvals and corporate support work, among other areas. Jonathan Kahn (Toronto) steers the department and is a go-to specialist for complex, high-stakes cases. The group further draws on the senior expertise of Charles Kazaz (Montreal/Toronto), who has a focus on the industrial, mining and waste-management sectors; Tony Crossman (Vancouver), who is equipped to handle regulatory work, due diligence and litigation; Lana Finney (Toronto), whose track record spans land contamination, permitting, regulatory compliance and litigation; and Terri-Lee Oleniuk (Calgary), who is recommended for energy-related work.

McCarthy Tétrault’s environmental law team is frequently sought after by a diverse roster of government entities, utilities, insurers and domestic and multinational corporations. The sizeable national practice maintains strong platforms across the country, with well-staffed teams in all four of Canada’s key markets. In Vancouver, Nicholas Hughes handles a mix of contentious and advisory work, with an emphasis on the transport, natural resources, construction and heavy industry sectors. Cindy Vaillancourt splits her time between Montreal and Quebec City and is noted for project development, permitting processes and due diligence-related matters, among others. Calgary-based Kimberly Howard contributes particular experience in energy-related issues and co-heads the department together with Hughes and Vaillancourt. Other key contacts include litigator Una Radoja in Vancouver and Selina Lee-Andersen, who returned to the Vancouver office in June 2024 from Miller Thomson.

Bennett Jones LLP stands out for its broad industry coverage and market-shaping mandates, particularly on the contentious front. Arguably best known for its activity in energy and natural resources-related issues, in line with its firm-wide strength, the team also routinely handles matters in the transport, infrastructure, real estate and manufacturing spheres, among other areas. The department is led by Toronto-based environmental law veteran Leonard Griffiths, who is considered by many as a market leader. The team further draws on Toronto’s Sarah Gilbert, whose practice spans environmental and health and safety law; and Calgary-based Shawn Munro, who specializes in energy-related environmental law matters. Brad Gilmour and Radha Curpen left the firm in 2024.

The environmental law practice at Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP routinely acts alongside the firm’s transactional teams to advise clients on environmental liabilities across a range of financings, capital markets offerings, M&A deals and insolvencies. The group additionally draws on specialists in the litigation area for support on contentious work. In Toronto, Sarah Powell and Alexandria Pike are widely recognized as go-to partners for environmental law. In Montreal, Marie-Claude Bellemare is highly regarded and she recently paired up with Powell to represent Terrapure in marine law-related judicial reviews. Toronto-based Robyn Barabash is a talented associate.

During 2023/24, Gowling WLG’s environmental law team handled a slew of high-stakes litigation cases. Among its recent highlights in this space, Toronto-based Jennifer Danahy represented the Responsible Plastic Use Coalition on its successful challenge of the decision to add ‘plastic-manufactured items’ to the toxic substances list in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Toronto-based Adam Chamberlain steers the climate change and environmental law practice and is admitted in all three of Canada’s territories as well as in Ontario, positioning him well to advise on environmental and Indigenous law issues. Toronto-based Rodney Northey is a seasoned environmental law expert and is highly regarded for his regulatory expertise.

The environmental law practice at Torys is ‘well-informed, up-to-date and strategic’. Demonstrating strong skill sets across all relevant industries, including energy and natural resources, transport, infrastructure, chemicals and consumer products, the team is particularly distinguished by its expertise in nuclear-related matters. Toronto’s Dennis Mahony chairs the practice and acted alongside the litigation group to represent Canadian National Railway on a judicial review of the federal environmental process in connection with its Milton Logistics Hub. The group also includes Toronto-based Michael Fortier, who is recognized for his record in the nuclear sphere; Toronto’s Tyson Dyck, who specializes in climate change law; and Calgary-based Lou Cusano, who is noted for energy-related work.

A prominent practice for environmental law in Quebec, BCF Business Law’s multidisciplinary group operates from platforms in Montreal and Quebec City. The team is well versed across the full spectrum of approval processes, regulatory compliance and contentious work, with its activity in the latter particularly impressing. Litigator Simon Pelletier spearheads the department and contributes experience in the construction, administrative and constitutional law areas. The group also benefits from the expertise of environmental law veteran Jean Piette, while associate Jonathan Coulombe provides support. Anne-Frédérique Bourret recently left the firm.

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP’s environmental law group draws on transactional lawyers, regulatory practitioners and litigators to advise on a broad scope of regulatory compliance and approvals, corporate support issues, and civil and regulatory disputes. The team acts for mix of private and public sector entities, with an emphasis on the energy, shipping and municipal sectors. Vancouver-based Rick Williams heads the national practice and is recommended for his experience in both regulatory and contentious work. Gabrielle Kramer leads the area in Toronto and also handles litigation and advisory matters.

Dentons’ focus on the energy and natural resources sphere is reflected in its environmental law practice, which routinely acts for the firm’s key oil and gas clients on related matters, including Enbridge, PETRONAS Canada and Syncrude Canada. The team additionally keeps busy advising clients in the transport, infrastructure, chemicals and food and drink industries — among others — on environmental assessments and approvals, regulatory compliance and environmental disputes. Calgary-based counsel Alex MacWilliam heads the team and is widely regarded as a leader in the area. Montreal-based Mira Gauvin is also a key contact.

DLA Piper (Canada) LLP’s environmental law practice continues to make inroads into the market, following the arrival of department co-heads Joshua Jantzi (Calgary) and senior counsel Wally Braul (Vancouver/Calgary/Toronto) in 2022. Most notably, the group added nine new clients to its roster during 2023/24, including Silver47 Exploration Corp, which it represented in the Supreme Court of Yukon on a judicial challenge to the validity of an environmental ‎assessment report — that work was led by Braul. Other key contacts include Max Collett (Vancouver), who joined from Norton Rose Fulbright in June 2023; Canada managing partner Robert Seidel KC (Edmonton); and Jennifer Cleall KC (Edmonton), who is noted for climate change regulations.

Alongside its activity in contaminated sites and transactional support matters, Fasken’s environmental law group frequently interacts with its regulatory and Indigenous law practices to provide full-spectrum support on environmental assessments and environmental defence litigation. The firm’s top-tier mining offering translates into significant work in that sphere, while the team also handles energy, infrastructure, real estate and waste management-related matters. Toronto-based Rosalind Cooper ‘makes her points against opposing counsel in a measured professional manner’ and co-heads the national department together with Montreal-based Pierre-Olivier Charlebois. Also noted in Vancouver are energy specialist Ron Ezekiel and environmental litigator Kinji Bourchier.

Lawson Lundell LLP’s distinctive geographical footprint, which spans offices across Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, uniquely positions it for energy and natural resources-related environmental work. Primarily noted for its formidable record in the mining area, the group also excels in the agriculture, forestry, energy, transport and manufacturing sectors. It further stands out for its ability to leverage its prominent Indigenous and dispute resolution practices for support on large-scale matters. In Vancouver, Brad Armstrong is a go-to environmental expert, with Laura Duke, Jennifer Nyland and Christine Kowbel also recommended. In Calgary, seasoned specialist John Olynyk and up-and-coming partner Shailaz Dhalla are noted.

From its platforms in Alberta and the Northwest Territories, McLennan Ross LLP’s environmental law group maintains a marked focus on Western Canada. The group is chiefly sought after for energy-related work, where it handles regulatory issues concerning the electricity and oil and gas markets. Among its other industry sweet spots, the team demonstrates strong experience in the real estate, infrastructure and municipal areas. Next-generation partner Sean Parker (Edmonton) co-heads the team alongside Michael Barbero (Calgary). The group also includes high-profile environmental law litigators Ronald Kruhlak KC (Edmonton) and Gavin Fitch KC (Calgary). In June 2023, energy and environmental law partner Evan Dixon joined in Calgary from Burnet Duckworth & Palmer LLP.

Stikeman Elliott LLP’s environmental law group is weighted towards non-contentious work, including transactional support issues, brownfield redevelopment, and remediation. That being said, the team is further equipped to support clients before governmental authorities on risk assessments, notices of violation and prosecutions. The department is led jointly by Toronto-based Larry Cobb, whose environmental practice has an emphasis on business transactions; and Montreal-based counsel, Myriam Fortin, whose work spans transactional, regulatory and contentious matters. Infrastructure co-head, Patrick Duffy, and next-generation environmental law specialist, Patrick Welsh, are also recommended in Toronto.