Foreign Investment

Blakes has a leading foreign investment practice advising international and Canadian clients on the application of Canada’s foreign investment review laws and regulations, including the Investment Canada Act (ICA). The ICA contains general review and notification requirements for a wide range of investments by non-Canadians in Canadian businesses, as well as a comprehensive and increasingly utilized national security review regime. Our lawyers are experts in navigating the complex maze of laws and regulations governing investments by non-Canadians in all of these areas, including the special rules that apply to state-owned enterprises, sovereign wealth funds, investors from certain countries and cultural businesses..

Recent Experience

OMERS on its C$1.35-billion sale of LifeLabs to Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.
The Stars Group Inc. in connection with its announced US$15-billion enterprise value merger of equals with Flutter Entertainment Inc.
Cronos Group in connection with the C$2.4-billion strategic investment by Altria Group Inc.
The Washington Companies on their US$1.2-billion acquisition of Dominion Diamond Corporation.
Holcim Ltd. on its C$50-billion merger with Lafarge S.A.
GlaxoSmithKline on its multibillion-dollar three-part transaction with Novartis involving the companies’ Consumer Healthcare, Vaccines, and Oncology businesses.
Siemens on its acquisition of Dresser-Rand for a total consideration of US$7.6-billion.
Continental AG on its proposed acquisition of Veyance Technologies.
Nestlé S.A. on its €6.5-billion acquisition of Galderma Pharma S.A. and Galderma International S.A.S.
Procter & Gamble Co. on the C$2.9-billion acquisition of its Pet Food Business by Mars Inc.
Merck & Co. on the C$14.2-billion sale of its non-prescription medicine and consumer care business to Bayer Inc.
ExxonMobil Canada Ltd. on its acquisition of Celtic Exploration Ltd. for C$3.1-billion.
Nexen Inc. on its C$15.1-billion acquisition by CNOOC Limited.
Daylight Energy Ltd. on its C$2.2-billion acquisition by China Petrochemical Corporation, known as Sinopec Group.
Encana Corporation on its C$920-million disposition of Cutbank midstream assets, including the Hythe/Steeprock gas gathering and processing complex and the negotiation of attendant post-closing operational arrangements.
Quadra FNX Mining Ltd. on the C$3.5-billion acquisition of Quadra FNX by KGHM Polska.
BHP Billiton on its US$40-billion offer to acquire Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.
Sinopec International Petroleum Exploration and Production Corporation on its C$4.65-billion purchase of ConocoPhillips' interest in the Syncrude joint venture.
Cliffs Natural Resources on its C$4.9-billion acquisition of Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines.
Ericsson in connection with various transactions involving Nortel, including the acquisition of parts of Nortel's Carrier Networks division relating to CDMA and LTE technology in North America, a US$1.13-billion transaction.
Enerplus Resources Fund on its C$7.6-billion strategic business combination with Focus Energy Trust.

Awards & Recognition

Blakes was named Regional Firm of the Year – Americas in the 2019 GCR Awards and Competition Law Firm of the Year in the 2018 Benchmark Canada Awards.

Members of our Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment group are consistently ranked as leading practitioners in the most recent editions of the following publications:

Who’s Who Legal: Foreign Investment Review recognizes Brian Facey, Rob Kwinter and Julie Soloway as leading lawyers.

Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business (Competition/Antitrust) ranks Blakes in Band 1, its top tier for Competition/Antitrust. Brian Facey, Cassandra Brown, Randal Hofley, Navin Joneja, Robert Kwinter, Julie Soloway and Micah Wood are recognized as leading lawyers.
Canadian Lawyer Magazine names Julie Soloway one of Canada’s Most Influential Lawyers 2020. Brian Facey was included in the 2017 list.
Global Competition Review’s GCR 100 ranks the Blakes Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment group in the “Elite” category, the review’s highest designation, noting that Blakes “continues to be at the top of Canadian competition law, and is considered ‘the firm to beat’ by several of its rivals.”
Global Competition Review’s Women in Antitrust ranks Julie Soloway as one of the world’s leading women lawyers in competition.
The Best Lawyers in Canada (Competition/Antitrust Law) named Brian Facey as Lawyer of the Year (2021) and recognizes Cassandra Brown, Navin Joneja, Robert Kwinter, Julie Soloway and Micah Wood.
The Legal 500 Canada (Competition/Antitrust) ranks Blakes in the top tier with clients referring to us as “market leader.”
Benchmark Canada: The Definitive Guide to Canada's Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys recognizes Catherine Beagan-Flood, Réal Forest, Jeff Galway, Randall Hofley, Robert Kwinter, Claude Marseille, Dalton McGrath, James Sullivan and Robert Torralbo for their expertise in competition litigation.
Who’s Who Legal: Foreign Investment Review recognizes Brian Facey, Rob Kwinter and Julie Soloway as leading lawyers.
Who's Who Legal: Competition recognizes Brian Facey, Navin Joneja, Robert Kwinter, Julie Soloway and Micah Wood.
Who's Who Legal: Thought Leaders Global Elite - Competition recognizes Brian Facey a top competition lawyer in Canada.
Who’s Who Legal: Thought Leaders - Competition recognizes Brian Facey, Robert Kwinter and Julie Soloway were also recognized as Thought Leaders.
Who’s Who Legal: Canada (Competition) recognizes Brian Facey, Navin Joneja, Robert Kwinter, Julie Soloway and Micah Wood as leading lawyers.
Who's Who Legal: Competition - Future Leaders recognizes Cassandra Brown and Kevin MacDonald as the foremost practitioners in competition law.
The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada ranks Brian Facey and Robert Kwinter as leading lawyers.
The Lexpert Guide to the Leading US/Canada Cross-Border Litigation Lawyers in Canada ranks Brian Facey and Robert Kwinter as leading lawyers.
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory ranks Brian Facey, Navin Joneja, Robert Kwinter and Julie Soloway as leading lawyers.