Outfront Media Inc.

Acting as Canadian counsel to OUTFRONT Media Inc. in the C$410-million sale of its Canadian outdoor advertising business to Bell Media, a wholly-owned subsidiary of BCE.

Warwick Hotels and Resorts

Acted for Warwick Hotels and Resorts in the financing and purchase of the iconic luxury hotel Le Crystal in downtown Montréal, which includes a spa and parking facilities.

Jesta Group

Acted for Jesta Capital Corp. in the (i) $128-million sale of the iconic Château Viger/Gare Berry to Allied Properties REIT in August 2021; and (ii) construction financing and subsequent $121-million sale of a 7-storey newly constructed office building to Allied Properties REIT in October 2022; including the 10-year lease to Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada as anchor tenant of this new office building.

Kesmat Investments Inc. and Mirlaw Investments Ltd.

Acted for Kesmat Investments Inc. and Mirlaw Investments Ltd. in their sale of a portfolio of eight industrial properties located in the greater Montréal area.

Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust

Acted for Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust in the $281.1-million acquisition and the financing of Le 4300 and Haddon Hall, two high-end multi-residential properties comprising a total of 528 suites located in the attractive neighbourhoods of Westmount and Ville-Marie in downtown Montréal, Québec.

Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust

Acted for Minto Apartment Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) in the $268-million acquisition from Rockhill Apartments Inc. of a multi-residential rental property comprising 1,004 suites in Montréal, Québec. The REIT, which co-acquired the property with Investors Real Property Fund, is the asset and property manager for the co-tenancy and is earning fees for these services.

Alre Properties Inc.

Acted for Alre Properties Inc. in the development, acquisition and construction financing and the leasing of a regional shopping centre in City of Paradise, Newfoundland with over 100,000 square feet of retail leasable area anchored by national food store, gas station and pharmacy.

Alre Properties Inc.

Acted for Alre Properties Inc. in the sale and lease-back transaction for ten Bank of Montreal branches located in Québec and Ontario and acquisition financing related thereof.

Montoni Group

Acted for Montoni Group in the purchase and the redevelopment of the old Molson brewery on Notre-Dame Street East in Montréal.

Alre Properties Inc.

Acting for Alre Properties Inc. in the development, acquisition and construction financing and the leasing of regional head office for Bank of Montreal in St John's, Newfoundland, with 45,000 square feet of office space, underground parking and 7,500 square feet of retail space.

Aldo Group Inc., Carttera Management Inc., Sotramont Inc. and LSR GesDev Inc.

Acted for Aldo Group Inc., Carttera Management Inc., Sotramont Inc. and LSR GesDev Inc., in the sale of Arbora Project in Griffintown, Montréal to Oxford Properties Group. Arbora is a unique mixed-use complex made of CLT wood construction.

Airbnb Inc.

Acted for Airbnb Inc. in connection with a joint venture related to the development and construction of an office building in downtown Montréal including an equity participation and the leasing of the building by AirBnb for its new Québec headquarters.

Alre Properties Inc.

Acted for Alre Properties Inc. in the development, acquisition, construction financing and the leasing of regional head office for Bank of Montreal in Laval, with 60,000 square feet of office space, underground parking and 10,000 square feet of retail space.

Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

Acted for Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in its sale of the building at 680 Sherbrooke Street West to The Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning (McGill University).

Alre Properties Inc.

Acted for Alre Properties Inc. in connection with the acquisition, and subsequent sale, from the Bank of Montreal of a portfolio of six commercial properties located in Ontario, Québec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, the leaseback by Bank of Montreal and the mortgage financing of all of these properties by Royal Bank of Canada.

Groupe Montoni / VSL Logistics Hub Limited Partnership

Acted for Groupe Montoni, in partnership with Montez Corporation and Lotus Real Estate Group, in its acquisition of Sears Canada's distribution centre in Montréal's borough of Saint-Laurent, the leaseback to Sears of a 1.6 million sq. ft. portion of the property and the subsequent redevelopment and leasing of the property.

Jesta Capital Corp.

Acting for Jesta Capital Corp. in connection with the redevelopment of Gare Viger, a historical site in Old Montréal. It is a $300-million project for a fully integrated mixed-use development comprising a 20-floor residential tower; a worldwide branded hotel with over 175 rooms and suites; retail premises on the ground floor; a 10 floor office tower; and an important underground parking facility

Grifaldo L.P.

Acted for Grifaldo L.P. in connection with the $82-million secured credit facilities to finance the construction of Arbora Griffintown, a mixed-use complex of over 430 residential condominium and rental apartment units, as well as retail/commercial and underground parking spaces in a prime location in Griffintown, Montréal.

Alre Properties Inc.

Acted for Alre Properties Inc. in connection with the sale to Fiera Properties Core Fund LP of a portfolio of nine commercial properties located in Québec and one commercial property located in Ontario.

Merrimac Manufacturing Co. Inc.

Acted for Merrimac Manufacturing Co. Inc. and First Lasalle Equities Corporation in connection with the sale and leaseback to Skyline Commercial Real Estate Holding Inc. of five commercial properties located in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Québec.

Bank of Montréal

Acted for Bank of Montréal in connection with Fiera Axium Infrastructure Inc.'s $267-million financing of Montréal Gateway Terminals.

The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company

Acted for The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company ("Manulife") in a co-venture with Ivanhoé Cambridge Inc. for the acquisition and development of a high-rise office tower downtown Montréal containing approximately 486,000 square feet and in Manulife's leasing of approximately 270,000 square feet in the tower.

Bank of Montréal

Acted for Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, JPMorgan Chase Bank and a syndicate of ten banks in connection with the extension, amendment and increase of Gildan Activewear Inc.'s revolving credit facility to US$1.2 billion.

Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust

Acted for Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust in connection with the acquisition of Centre Rockland from Ivanhoé Cambridge for $271,685,000. Davies also represented Cominar in financing the acquisition by way of an unsecured bridge facility of up to $275 million.

GENII CAPITAL

Acted as special counsel to a Korean institutional investor consortium led by Hanwha und Kyobo Life Insurance in the acquisition and financing of the Bell Campus project on Nuns' Island, Montréal, Québec.

Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust

Acted for Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust in connection with the $1.527-billion acquisition of a portfolio of 11 shopping centres, three office properties and one industrial property from Ivanhoé Cambridge, the real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec.

Hydro-Québec Pension Fund

Acted for Grifdor Holdings Inc. and Hydro-Québec Pension Fund in connection with the joint venture acquisition of lands and development of over 430 residential condominium units as well as rental housing units and retail commercial spaces in a prime location in Griffintown, Montréal, with LSR Gestdev Inc. and Sotramont Griffintown Inc. as developer and construction manager respectively, valued at $133 million dollars.

Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

Acted for Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. in connection with the acquisition from Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ of a 50% interest in the Place Québec immovable complex located at 900 and 1050 René-Lévesque boulevard East and 880 Honoré-Mercier in Québec City, and in connection with a mixed-use development project comprising commercial and office spaces and residential condominium units.

Confidential Client

Acted for private investors in connection with the ownership restructuring, investment and continued development of Quartier DIX30, one of the largest life style retail centres in Canada.

Canadian Tire Real Estate Limited

Acted for Canadian Tire Corporation and Canadian Tire Real Estate Limited in connection with the structure of the newly created CT REIT and the transfer of the properties located in Québec with a value of approximately $875 million into CT REIT.

Hydro-Québec Pension Fund

Acted for Hydro-Québec Pension Fund in connection with its investment in a joint venture with Balboa Land Investments Inc. and Broccolini for the acquisition and development of one of the largest fully serviced industrial development sites in suburban Montréal.

Confidential client

Acted for private investors in connection with their lead investment in a large 35 story residential condominium development at Redpath and Roehampton in midtown Toronto, Ontario.

Jesta Capital Corp.

Acted for Jesta Capital Corp. in connection with its acquisition and financing of the Marriott Residence Inn Montreal Downtown, a four-star hotel located on Peel Street on the upper west side of downtown Montréal, Québec.

Jesta Capital Corp.

Acted for Jesta Capital Corp. with respect to its acquisition and redevelopment, in association with Pur Immobilia, of the Viger station in the east end of Old Montréal, Québec.

Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

Acted for Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and Hydro-Québec Pension Fund in connection with the acquisition from 2020 University Associates, LP and redevelopment of the 525,000 sq. ft. office tower located at 2020 University Street in Montréal, Québec.

Confidential Client

Acted for the purchaser in its acquisition of the luxury boutique Hotel Gault in Old Montréal.

Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

Acted for Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services, Inc. and Hydro-Québec Pension Fund in connection with the acquisition from SITQ National Inc. of the the 640,000 sq. ft. office tower located at 1981 McGill College Avenue in Montréal, Québec.

Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and JPMorgan Chase Bank

Acted for Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and JPMorgan Chase Bank and a syndicate of nine banks in connection with an amended and restated US$800-million revolving credit facility agreement with Gildan Activewear Inc.

Co-president, Journée stratégique sur le développement immobilier et urbain; Montréal, QC

Sept. 11, 2023

Journée stratégique sur le développement immobilier et urbain, “L’impartition de la gestion immobilière”; Montréal, QC

Sept. 11, 2023

Co-Chair, Strategic Day on Real Estate and Urban Development Conference; Webcast; Montréal, QC

Sept. 12, 2022

Co-Chair, Strategic Day on Real Estate and Urban Development Conference; Webcast

Oct. 13, 2021

Strategic Day on Real Estate and Urban Development Conference, “Mixed-Use Development in Québec: How They Have Been Reviewed, Adjusted and Evolved”; Webcast

Oct. 13, 2021

Moderator, Strategic Days on Commercial Leasing, “Réexaminer les clauses de bail essentielles du point de vue du propriétaire et du locataire”; November 9-11, 2020; Montréal, QC

Nov. 09, 2020

Moderator, Montréal Real Estate & Urban Development Conference, “Food Halls as Stimulus: A Year Later”; Montréal, QC

Sept. 14, 2020

Québec Superior Court Renders First Decision on the Impact of COVID-19 on Commercial Leasing

July 22, 2020 - The Québec Superior Court recently handed down a decision stating that the mandatory closure of businesses ordered by the Québec government on March 24, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic constitutes force majeure. The Court also interpreted a clause of the lease providing that the tenant must pay...

Strategic Day on Real Estate and Urban Development Conference, “Multiphase Development Projects – Development of the Tours des Canadiens”; Montréal, QC

Sept. 17, 2019

Strategic Days on Commercial Leasing, “Stratégies lorsque vous perdez un locataire d’ancrage”; Montréal, QC

May 07, 2019

Disclosure of Details About Purchasers of Real Property in Québec

Feb. 14, 2019 - The Québec government plans to require disclosure of the country of residence, citizenship and other information about purchasers of real property in Québec. On February 13, 2019 the draft Regulation respecting the form for presenting an application for registration of a transfer of an...

12th Annual Montréal Real Estate Strategy & Leasing Conference, “Commercial Leasing”; Montréal, QC

Oct. 30, 2018

Moderator, Montréal Real Estate & Urban Development Conference, “Operational Aspects of Mixed-Use Developments”; Montréal, QC

Sept. 17, 2018

Adoption of Bylaw Dealing with Transportation Dues Regarding the REM

Apr. 05, 2018 - The Minister of Transport, Sustainable Mobility and Transport Electrification adopted on April 4, 2018, the By-law respecting transportation dues regarding the Réseau express métropolitain (Bylaw) and Ministerial Order number 2018-03 (Order) concerning the zones under the jurisdiction of...

Partnership Exemption from Québec Transfer Duties

Dec. 21, 2017 - Québec’s Minister of Finance has published Information Bulletin 2017-14 (Bulletin), which addresses the legislative gaps in the Act respecting duties on transfers of immovables (Act) – namely, the absence of an exemption from transfer duties when partnerships take part in transfers of...

Act Respecting the Réseau Électrique Métropolitain Now Passed

Sept. 28, 2017 - Québec’s National Assembly has passed Bill 137, titled An Act respecting the Réseau électrique métropolitain (Act). The purpose of the Act, passed on September 27, 2017, is to facilitate the construction and operation of a new shared transportation infrastructure that was publicly...

“Mixed-use real estate developments and joint ventures”, Journée stratégique sur le développement immobilier et urbain

Sept. 27, 2017

Adoption of Bill 122 and Its Impact on Real Estate Developments in Québec

June 19, 2017 - On June 15, the Québec National Assembly adopted Bill 122, An Act mainly to recognize that municipalities are local governments and to increase their autonomy and powers (the “Act”). The government of Québec has described this omnibus law as “the greatest decentralization of powers to the...

By-law Adopted for the Harmonization of the Contribution for Parks for All Montréal’s Boroughs

June 14, 2017 - On June 13, 2017, the Municipal Council of the City of Montréal (City) adopted the By-law concerning the transfer for the purposes of establishing, maintaining and improving parks and playgrounds, and preserving natural areas on the territory of the City of Montréal [our translation] (the...

Harmonization of the Park Tax for All Montréal’s Boroughs

May 04, 2017 - The City of Montréal (City) recently published a draft bylaw titled By-law concerning the transfer for the purposes of establishing, maintaining and improving parks and playgrounds, and of preserving natural areas, on the territory of the City of Montréal [our translation] (draft bylaw)...

Québec Bill 112: Significant Changes to Duties on Transfers of Immovables

Nov. 22, 2016 - The Québec 2016-2017 Budget tabled by Finance Minister Carlos Leitão on March 17, 2016, announced significant changes to the Act respecting duties on transfers of immovables applicable to all transfers of immovables in the province of Québec as of March 18, 2016. On November 15, 2016,...

Québec Budget 2016-2017: Significant Changes to Duties on Transfers of Immovables

Mar. 18, 2016 - The 2016-2017 Budget tabled by Finance Minister Carlos Leitão on March 17, 2016, announced significant changes to the Act respecting duties on transfers of immovables (the Act). Although these changes apply to the transfer of an immovable in Québec as of March 18, 2016, no bill has yet...

Recent Developments in Ontario Real Estate

Feb. 26, 2016 - Ontario Court of Appeal Rules on Assignment of Lease by Tenant The Ontario Court of Appeal recently released its decision in Hudson’s Bay Company v. OMERS Realty Corporation, a case that involved the assignment and sublease of the tenant’s interest in anchor tenant...