Aaron Bowler

Partner and National Business Leader, Commercial Real Estate

Calgary
[email protected]
403.232.9489

Aaron is a Partner in BLG's Commercial Real Estate group. He has extensive experience in all aspects of commercial real estate including hospitality, commercial leasing, project development, and development financing.

He plays a leading role in large acquisition, financing, development, restructuring and securitization transactions. He also provides municipal law advice to clients.

Aaron has significant REIT experience and has been involved in the establishment, financing and disposition of numerous real estate investment trusts.

Aaron works on the real estate, financing and leasing aspects of numerous insolvencies and restructurings, public finance, commercial real estate, property development law and construction law. He also advises in the area of public-private partnerships, alternative finance projects, public procurement and complex construction projects, acting regularly for both the public and private sectors.

He provides rail regulatory advice to railways throughout Canada, particularly on applications under s.98 of the Canada Transportation Act; mediations; arbitrations; public and private crossing negotiations and disputes involving railways, utilities, road authorities, and municipalities; the doctrines of inter-jurisdictional immunity and paramountcy; and real estate.

 

Aaron provides legal services through a Law Corporation.

Experience

  • Purchase and financing of Canadian Western Bank Place and non-contiguous 5-story parkade - 10303 Jasper Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta
  • Leads our team for Harmony Beef Company, Ltd. Harmony operates the beef industry's most modern, state-of-the-art processing and fabrication facility, produces high quality beef for Canadian and international markets, and employees more than 425 people in Alberta
  • Commercial real estate and regulatory advice to rail matters
  • Commercial real estate advice to Temple Hotels Inc., including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and expropriation matters
  • Commercial real estate advice to Morguard Corporation including acquisitions and financings
  • Commercial real estate advice to Lanesborough Real Estate Investment Trust, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and insolvency matters
  • Advise Alvarez & Marsal on real estate matters pertaining to the Reid-Built Homes CCAA proceedings
  • Numerous financings and re-financings in Banff National Park, Alberta
  • Sale of St. Albert Mall, Deerfoot Mall, Sunridge Mall and Millwoods Town Centre by Ivanhoe Cambridge
  • Purchase, financing and development of a one-half undivided interest in a large multi-property industrial development in Calgary and Rocky View County, Alberta
  • Purchase of a large hotel in Banff National Park, Alberta
  • Purchase of Sun Life Plaza, Calgary, Alberta
  • Purchase and financing of Encana Place, Calgary, Alberta
  • Purchase and financing of Bell Tower and Oxford Tower, Edmonton, Alberta
  • Numerous construction financing matters for The Toronto-Dominion Bank
  • Oxford Properties Sale of Northport Business Park

Beyond our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Advisory Board Member, Practical Law Canada
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association
  • Member, The Law Society of Alberta
  • Member, The Law Society of Manitoba
  • Member, the Manitoba Bar Association

Awards & Recognitions

  • Recognized in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada (Commercial Leasing Law)
  • Recognized in the 2025 edition of Chambers Canada – Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business (Real Estate (Alberta)).
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition of Lexpert® Special Edition: Infrastructure.
  • Recognized in the 2024 edition of Who's Who Legal (Hospitality).
  • Recognized in the 2023 edition (and since 2022) of the Canadian Legal Lexpert® Directory (Property Leasing), 2020-2019 (Property Leasing) and 2024, 2020, 2019 Transportation (Road & Rail).

Bar Admission & Education

  • Alberta, 2008
  • Manitoba, 2002
  • LLB, University of Manitoba, 2001