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Mark Schmidt

Partner

Co-chair, Canadian Real Estate Group

About

Mark Schmidt, the Head of the Canadian Firm's National Real Estate Service Group, practises corporate and commercial law with a particular emphasis on real estate matters. 

Mark is recognized as a leading real estate lawyer in Canada, and is actively involved in both corporate and real estate acquisitions, financings, residential and commercial real estate developments, and office and retail leasing.

In addition to advising on general commercial matters, Mark has extensive experience in private corporate acquisitions, dispositions and financings in a variety of other business sectors.  These include telecommunications matters, port/terminal infrastructure projects, renewable energy projects, and issues arising in the forestry sector.

Originally from Vancouver, Mark obtained his law degree from Dalhousie University and his commerce degree from the University of British Columbia in 1988.

Bar admissionsBritish Columbia, 1989

EXPERIENCE

REAL ESTATE
  • Counsel to Rural Stores, an owner/operator of numerous shopping centres in the Lower Mainland of BC in connection with all aspects of their operations, including, financing, leasing, acquisitions and dispositions
  • Counsel to Conway Richmond, an owner operator of numerous shopping centres in the Lower Mainland of BC in connection with all aspects of their operations, including, financing, leasing, acquisitions and dispositions
  • Advised Parkview Enterprises in connection with the financing, development and sale of an 82 unit high-rise residential project in North Vancouver
  • Advised Garibaldi Springs Development in connection with a multi-stage mixed-use residential and commercial strata development in Squamish
  • Acted for Mountain Equipment Co-operative in connection with the development of stores in Victoria, Vancouver, North Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Kitchener, Laval, Quebec City and other locations
  • Acted for Viacom Canada in connection with the development of Paramount Place Vancouver, Silver City Richmond, Silver City Coquitlam, Silver City Metrotown, Colossus Langley and other multi-screen theatres
  • Counsel to Sagebrush Golf and Sporting Club in connection with the development and sale of Sagebrush Golf Club
  • Advise Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts in respect of the Shangri-La Vancouver and the Shangri-La Toronto Hotels
PORT/TERMINAL/SHIPPING
  • Counsel to Pacific Coast Terminals with respect to operational matters and the $200 million expansion of its Port Moody terminal to handle potash, canola oil and glycol
  • Acted for Maher Terminals in connection with the $600 million expansion of the Fairview Container Terminal in Prince Rupert. BC
CORPORATE/COMMERCIAL  EQUITY/M&A
  • Advised a consortium led by Babcock & Brown with respect to the Alberta Schools Project in Calgary and Edmonton, including its UK bank financing, at the time being the largest-ever Canadian schools P3 transaction and Alberta's largest social infrastructure P3. This project was awarded the “North American Social Infrastructure Deal of the Year” by Project Finance Magazine (Euromoney) (NY)
  • Advised Brascan Corporation (now Brookfield Asset Management) with respect to the sale of Cascadia Forest Products to Western Forest Products Ltd. for approximately $200 million
  • Acted for Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. in connection with the $170 Million sale of its remaining 25% Interest in Island Timberlands Limited Partnership
  • Canadian Counsel to West Corporation with respect to the acquisitions of Synrevoice Technologies, Connexon Group, Intrafinity Inc. and Positron Public Safety Systems
  • Counsel to The Oppenheimer Group with respect to the sale transaction to Total Produce
  • Counsel to GroupHealth, one of Canada's leading providers of group insurance, employee benefits, dental insurance and disability management, with respect to the acquisitions of GroupSource LP
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
  • Advised Bell Canada with respect to the 2010 Winter Olympic telecommunications obligations
  • Advised Microcell Connexions Inc. (Fido) with respect to their network build out in BC and other parts of Western Canada
  • Counsel to Tata Communications in connection with their Canadian operations, including the disposition of various assets
RENEWABLE ENERGY
  • Represented Brookfield Renewable Power in connection with the acquisition of Powell River Energy Inc.
  • Represented Fiera Axium Infrastructure in purchase of GE Energy interests in Toba Montrose and Dokie 1 Facilities
  • Advised BluEarth Renewable in connection with the acquisition of the Tyson Creek Hydroelectric Project
FORESTRY
  • Counsel to Island Timberlands, a private timberlands business and the largest holder of private timberlands in British Columbia
  • Advising Western Forest Products on financing, real property, and related commercial matters
Languages
  • English
Education
  • LL.B., Dalhousie University, 1988
  • B.Comm., (Honours), The University of British Columbia, 1988

Awards

  • Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory (Corporate Mid-Market), 2024
  • Best Lawyers in Canada (Corporate Law), 2015-2023; (Mergers & Acquisitions Law), 2016-2023; (Real Estate Law), 2014-2023
  • Chambers Canada (Corporate/Commercial - British Columbia), 2018-2020
  • Martindale-Hubbell, Distinguished® Peer Review Rated
  • The Legal 500 Canada (Real Estate), 2016-2024

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Member, Law Society of British Columbia
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, Vancouver Law Firms Solicitors Legal Opinions Committee
  • Contributor, The Real Estate Practice Manual, a publication of the Continuing Legal Education Society of B.C.

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