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Richard A. Manias

Partner

Toronto
[email protected]
416.367.6668

Expertise

Varuna Soondar

Practice Assistant

Toronto
[email protected]
416.367.6749
416.350.2555

Richard practises commercial real estate law, providing legal services to a large cross section of clients.

He provides practical, efficient and timely advice to his clients for all types of commercial real estate transactions, including purchases, sales, leasing and financings. 

Richard works closely with real estate professionals and in-house legal counsel of some of Canada’s most prestigious companies and organizations.

Experience

  • Acted for Northland Power on all matters relating to real property in connection with the development and financing of the approximately $0.8 billion Oneida Energy Storage Project (which is being developed in partnership with NRStor Inc., Six Nations of the Grand River Development Corporation and Aecon Group Inc.).
  • Advises and acts for various municipalities in regards to an assortment of real estate-related matters, including acting for the City of Owen Sound on its sale of the Billy Bishop Regional Airport.
  • Acts for Bell Canada and Bell Mobility, to negotiate and review leases, license agreements, marketing agreements and other contracts respecting the use of real property for various telecommunications and broadcasting purposes, such as DAS installations, easements, telecommunications towers and data centres.
  • Acts for Sun-Canadian Pipe Line Company with respect to the acquisition of various pipeline easements in Ontario.
  • Advises local distribution companies and hydro companies in the Ontario electricity sector on all matters relating to real property. Specifically, Richard assisted Peterborough Distribution Inc. (PDI) on real property matters in connection with PDI’s sale of its electrical distribution assets to Hydro One for $105M in August, 2020. He also assisted Orillia Power Corporation and Orillia Power Distribution Corporation on real estate property matters in connection with the sale of Orillia Power Distribution Corporation to Hydro One in September, 2020. 
  • Acts for a major automobile manufacturer regarding leasing, licensing and subleasing matters.
  • Acted for Bedrock Industries, LP on real property matters associated with its purchase of Stelco Inc. in July, 2017, including the creation of significant long-term leases of two keys sites in Hamilton and Nanticoke, Ontario.
  • Acted for Legumex Walker Inc. on real property matters relating to the sale of its special crops division to The Scoular Company for $174M in November, 2015.
  • Advised Capstone Power Corp. on the development and financing of the 25 MW Goulais windfarm project.
  • Acted for Choice Properties REIT on real property matters related to its initial public offering in July, 2013 and subsequent vend-ins.
  • Advises electricity generation clients regarding the real estate issues related to the development of major generation and distribution projects, including wind turbine farms and solar projects for Northland Power (rooftop panels and ground-mount facilities) in Ontario.

Beyond Our Walls

Professional Involvement

  • Member, National Association of Industrial and Office Properties
  • Member, Urban Land Institute
  • Member, Ontario Bar Association
  • Member, Canadian Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • Member, BLG Toronto’s Pro Bono Committee

Bar Admission & Education

  • Ontario, 2008
  • LLB, University of Windsor, 2007
  • BA, York University, 2004