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About Nick

Nick's practice focuses on banking, project finance, corporate lending, acquisition finance, transactional debt-related work and ongoing advisory services on completed transactions. He regularly acts on secured and unsecured debt financing transactions, project financings, syndicated loan transactions, cross-border financings, acquisition financings, note and bond deals, debt reorganizations, asset-based lending transactions, and intercreditor arrangements.

Nick works primarily in the areas of energy, oil and gas and related service industries, power generation and renewable energy. He also has experience in a wide range of other industry sectors.

Nick regularly acts on behalf of Canadian and foreign financial institutions and corporations in respect of their debt transactions. Nick also acts as agent counsel to international law firms, providing Canadian legal advice on cross-border debt transactions, security and related matters.

Select Experience

Representing as lead counsel or as a part of the Blakes Financial Services group on the following matters:

  • Energy Capital Partners in respect of its acquisition and related financing of ten natural gas and coal fired electricity generation facilities in Alberta and British Columbia purchased from ATCO (Canadian Utilities) to form Heartland Generation Ltd.

  • ENMAX Corporation in connection with the establishment of bridge credit facilities for the acquisition by ENMAX of Emera Maine and various other credit facilities

  • Enerplus Corporation on its US$900-million senior unsecured sustainability linked revolving credit facility, its US$400-million term loan in connection with its acquisition of Bruin E&P and on certain note issuance transactions of approximately C$300-million, C$465-million and C$200-million respectively

  • The Calgary Airport Authority in its C$2.075-billion bond issuance, bond exchange and related credit facilities

  • The lead agent and banks providing credit facilities to Bonterra Energy Corp. in the amount of C$265-million and in respect of the second lien credit facilities provided by BDC due to the COVID-19 pandemic

  • The lead agent and banks providing credit facilities to Inplay Oil Corp. in the amount of C$65-million and in respect of the second lien credit facilities provided by BDC due to the COVID-19 pandemic

  • BluEarth Renewables Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries on various credit arrangements including:

    • C$210-million project financing in respect of its Narrows Inlet hydro facilities in British Columbia

    • A combined C$156-million project financing in respect of the acquisition of its Clowhom River and Dasque-Middle Creek hydro facilities in British Columbia from Veresen

    • C$150-million project financing in respect of its St. Columban I and St. Columban II wind projects in Ontario

    • C$100-million project financing in respect of its Bull Creek wind project in Alberta

    • C$73-million, C$66-million and C$48-million project financings in connection with the refinancing of its Ontario solar projects

  • Capstone Infrastructure Corporation and certain of its subsidiaries on various credit arrangements, including:

    • C$120-million corporate revolving facility provided to Capstone Power Corp.

    • C$96-million project financing for SWNS Wind LP in connection with the acquisition of four wind farms in Ontario

    • C$95-million project financing for Helios Solar Star A-1 LP in respect of its solar power facilities and refinancing thereof by way of term debt in amount of C$121-million

    • A senior and subordinate bond offering in the amount of C$100-million by MPT Hydro LP in respect of the refinancing of its hydro power facilities

    • C$83-million credit facilities provided to Cardinal Power of Canada, L.P. to refinance its 156 MW natural gas cogeneration facility

  • Western Energy Services Corp. in respect of its senior credit facilities in the amount of C$80-million and second lien credit facility in the amount of C$210-million and C$12.5-million term loan provided with the participation of BDC during the COVID-19 pandemic

  • Jupiter Resources Inc. on its Canadian credit facilities in the aggregate amount of C$225-million and its US$77.5-million senior secured cash/PIK note issuance

  • Trinidad Drilling Ltd. on its Canadian and U.S.-based credit facilities in the aggregate amount of C$400-million and Canadian counsel on its US$350-million high-yield note issuance

  • The lead arrangers in connection with C$1.735-billion project financing for the Southern Lights Pipeline project from Edmonton to Illinois, which financing was named North America's Oil and Gas Deal of the Year in 2008 by Project Finance Magazine and the refinancing thereof in 2014 as Canadian counsel to the lead arrangers and credit facility providers in respect of a US$1.06-billion issuance of notes, a C$352-million issuance of notes and certain working capital credit facilities, and was named North America Project Bond Deal of the Year in 2014 by IJGlobal 

Awards & Recognition

Nick is recognized as a leading lawyer in the following publications:

  • The Best Lawyers in Canada 2024 (Asset-Based Lending Practice, Banking and Finance Law, Project Finance Law)

  • Best Lawyers: "Lawyer of the Year" 2024 (Asset-Based Lending Practice, Calgary)

  • The Legal 500 Canada 2024 (Banking and Finance)

  • Chambers Canada: Canada's Leading Lawyers for Business 2024 (Banking and Finance)

  • Chambers Global: The World's Leading Lawyers for Business 2024 (Banking and Finance – Canada)

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2024 (Asset-Based Lending, Banking & Financial Institutions, Project Finance)

  • IFLR1000: The Guide to the World's Leading Financial and Corporate Law Firms 2023 (Banking, Project Finance)

  • The 2016 Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Corporate Lawyers in Canada (Banking & Financial Institutions)

Education

Admitted to the Alberta Bar – 2005
LLB, Osgoode Hall Law School – 2004
BA (Gold Medallist), University of Manitoba – 1999

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