Marianne Smith (she, her, hers) Partner | Toronto

About Marianne

Marianne has over 20 years of experience as a commercial lawyer. A significant portion of Marianne's practice encompasses public procurement, infrastructure and public-private partnerships. She advises clients on the development, preparation and ongoing administration of public tenders and procurement processes, and the development and negotiation of commercial agreements for the design, construction, financing and maintenance of infrastructure.

In her procurement practice, Marianne acts for domestic and international clients in a wide range of sectors, including transit and transportation, civil infrastructure, roads and bridges, water and wastewater, health-care services, information technology, gaming, energy and mining. She also regularly acts for both procuring entities and bidders with respect to conducting a successful procurement process, fairness issues, mitigating procurement risk and avoiding compliance issues. In particular, Marianne has expertise in the procurement of mega infrastructure development projects and alternative finance and procurement projects across multiple jurisdictions, including municipal, provincial, federal and international, and has been at the forefront of many municipal PPP projects.

Marianne also regularly advises clients on a variety of commercial agreements across a range of sectors for goods, services and construction.

Select Experience

Representative matters include acting on behalf of and advising:

Infrastructure/P3 Projects

Toronto Transit Commission on its Bloor-Yonge Capacity Improvements progressive design and build project
Metrolinx on the Hamilton LRT design, build, finance, operate and maintain project
City of Mississauga on its Dundas Bus Rapid Transit design-build project
City of Calgary on the Green Line Stage 1 Light Rail design, build and finance project and acquisition of light rail vehicles
City of Toronto on the F.G. Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation project
Metrolinx on the Bloor-Lansdowne SmartTrack GO Station design-build project
Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension – Advance Tunnel design, build and finance project
Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx on the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension – Advance Tunnel 2 design, build and finance project
Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx on the design, build, finance, operation and maintenance of the GO Rail expansion project
VIA Rail on its Maintenance Facilities Modernization Project
City of Winnipeg on the design and build of upgrades to the North End Sewage Treatment Plant
Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx on the Eglinton Crosstown LRT design, build, finance and maintain project
City of Winnipeg on the design, build, finance and maintain project for the Southwest Rapid Transitway (Stage 2) and Pembina Highway Underpass
City of Hamilton on the design, build, finance, operate and maintain for the Biosolids Management Project
Infrastructure Ontario on projects including:
- Design, build and financing for the George Street Revitalization Project, with the City of Toronto
- Design, build and financing of sports venues for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games, Hamilton Stadium, York University Athletics Stadium and Milton Velodrome, Pan Am Aquatics Centre, Pan Am Field House and Canadian Sport Institute Ontario
- Design, build, finance and maintain projects for the Sheppard Maintenance and Storage Facility, the Southwest Detention Centre, the Toronto South Detention Centre and the New Data Centre
- Build-finance project for the Credit Valley Hospital Priority Areas Redevelopment Project, the Hawkesbury & District Hospital Project and the Public Health Laboratory at MaRS Centre Project
City of Saskatoon on the design, build, finance, operate and maintain project for the Phase One Civics Operation Centre Project
City of Saskatoon on the design, build, finance and maintain project for the North Commuter Parkway and the Traffic Bridge Project
City of Calgary on a design, build, construction, operate and maintain P3 project for an organics processing facility (food and de-watered biosolids)
City of Calgary on the Bonnybrook Wastewater Treatment Plant D Expansion Project
City of Moncton on the Moncton Downtown Centre project (a new multi-use sports and entertainment centre)
City of Sudbury on the design, build, finance and maintain project for a new biosolids facility and related upgrading of existing City water and wastewater facilities

Procurement and Corporate/Commercial Matters

Marine Atlantic with respect to the procurement of a new vessel
VIA Rail with respect to the acquisition of its Fleet Modernization Project
A consortium of Ontario colleges with respect to the development and implementation of procurement and contract template documents
University of Toronto with respect to the development of a procurement policy and related procedures, template procurement documents and template contract documents
An Ontario broader public sector entity with respect to the development of a procurement policy and related procedures, template procurement documents and template contract documents

Awards & Recognition

Marianne is recognized in recent editions of the following publications:

The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2025 (Infrastructure Law)
The Legal 500 Canada 2025 (Leading Partner – Public Procurement and Infrastructure Projects)
Thomson Reuters Stand-out Lawyers – Independently Rated Lawyers 2025 (As nominated by senior in-house counsel
Chambers Canada Legal Guide 2025 (Public Procurement, Projects: PPP & Infrastructure)
Chambers Global Legal Guide 2025 (Projects: PPP & Infrastructure – Canada)
Lexpert Special Edition: Projects: PPP & Infrastructure 2024 (Infrastructure Law)
Lexology Index: Canada 2024 (Government Contracts)
Lexology Index: Government 2024 (Government Contracts)
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2024 (Repeatedly Recommended: Projects: PPP & Infrastructure – Infrastructure Law)

Marianne is also a past recipient of the Blakes Volunteer of Distinction Award in recognition of her commitment to volunteer and pro bono activities.

Professional Activities

Marianne is actively involved as a volunteer and board member with a variety of organizations that seek to provide support and assistance to those in need. She is currently a member of the board of directors of Friends of Ruby (previously Egale Youth Services), which provides comprehensive and progressive support to LGBTQI2S youth well-being through housing and social services. Marianne is the former chair of the board of Sherbourne Health Centre in Toronto, and from 2007 to 2012 she was a member of the board of directors of The Word on the Street Toronto.

Marianne is a member of the Blakes Diversity and Inclusion Committee and a founding member of Pride@Blakes.