Municipal Law - Davis LLP

The Davis LLP Municipal Law Practice Group applies the specialized experience of the firm to the entire range of legal needs of our public- and private-sector clients.

Our services include:

• Advising on the interpretation of local government statutes, and procedures relating to council meetings and public hearings.
• Assisting with drafting statutes, municipal bylaws and amendments.
• Acting for local governments with respect to the defence of bylaws challenged in the Courts, with general litigation and with other administrative and regulatory hearings.
• Advising private sector clients in their dealings with local governments.
• Advising and acting for private sector clients involved in judicial review proceedings that challenge the legality of municipal decisions and bylaws.
• Assisting local governments with negotiating and structuring their agreements, including real estate development agreements and public-private partnerships.
• Providing advice and conducting hearings with respect to land use planning and development matters.
• Advising on a full range of matters affecting municipalities and clients dealing with municipalities including labour and employment issues, taxation, insurance, environmental regulation, freedom of information, corporate governance, licensing, inter-governmental relations, and intellectual property issues.

Emerging Issues

In Ontario, recent legislative initiatives of the provincial government have altered the landscape of land use planning and municipal law substantially. The Province of Ontario has restricted the ability of landowners to develop their lands as they had in the past in particular through legislation such as the Strong Communities Act, Greenbelt Act, and Places to Grow Act and the Clean Water Act; and policies such as the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, the Greenbelt Plan and theGrowth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The roles of municipalities and of the Ontario Municipal Board have also changed recently as a result of the amendments made to the Planning Act by Bill 51.

We stay connected to these and all municipal issues and developments and transfer our knowledge to our clients so that they can make informed decisions.