While forestry businesses have great opportunities in Canada, they are also subject to operational, environmental and a variety of other regulatory restrictions. Each Canadian province and territory has its own forestry legislation governing practices on public lands. These regulations and laws are among the strictest in the world. In addition to rules requiring regeneration of harvested lands and accommodation of wildlife habitat needs, companies must strive to devise sustainable forest management strategies, respect aboriginal and treaty rights, and comply with environmental laws.
Applying our depth of forestry expertise and drawing upon the knowledge of our lawyers in the fields of corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions, environmental, forest tenure, litigation, labour, Indigenous, and tax law, we provide comprehensive representation and advice. Blakes lawyers negotiate and prepare the many specialized agreements required for forestry activities, including logging agreements, credit facility agreements, cogeneration agreements and operations, as well as sustainable forest management. Additionally, we advise on the acquisition, disposition and operation of companies in the sector, including pulp and paper companies, and counsel issuers, lenders and investors on the financing of forestry properties.
Clients also engage us to advise on forestry practices, environmental concerns, tax, operations matters, timber rights, land use issues, resource ownership and development, as well as the many opportunities opened up by Plan Nord. Our forestry specialists deal extensively with government agencies and regulatory authorities on forestry matters and have played a leading role in the development of laws and regulations governing the forestry sector across Canada. These experiences have provided us with deep insight into the regulatory schemes and enhanced our working relationships with regulators.
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