Banking & Finance: Financial Services Regulation | Canada

Blake, Cassels & Graydon is a pre-eminent Canadian law firm in the banking and finance space, with robust expertise in acquisition and project finance, as well as acting on financing amendments, refinancings and ESG-linked credit facilities within the real estate, mining and energy sectors. It is also well regarded for its experience of syndicated lending and debt financing, servicing a client base of leading domestic banks and global financial services providers. The firm is renowned for its involvement in especially high-value deals and is distinguished by its nationwide and international reach. Furthermore, Blakes is held in high esteem for its full-service regulatory group handling M&A transactions in the banking sector, insurance regulation, product rollouts and anti-money laundering mandates. Clients also seek Blakes' advice on operational expansions and strategic partnership set-ups in Canada. The team regularly acts as an adviser to financial institutions hailing from the USA, Asia and Europe.

Torys has an excellent banking and finance practice which handles a broad spectrum of banking work from Toronto and Calgary, aided by the firm's office in New York. The group's experience includes advising on high-end acquisition finance and project finance matters, with further strength in secured and unsecured credit facilities relating to the energy, real estate and mining sectors. The team acts for a range of both lender and borrower-side clients, including leading domestic banks, insurance companies, international financial institutions and private equity funds. Furthermore, the firm's esteemed regulatory practice is notable for its advice regarding financial services M&A, new legislation and credit card programmes. The handling of digital payment matters complements the firm's excellent holistic offering.

Fasken is a strong choice for mining finance and wider project finance mandates, offering notable expertise in relation to refinancing. It also has a strong bank lending practice and in-depth expertise in acquisition, syndicated and corporate finance. Clients benefit from the firm's offices across Canada and abroad when seeking advice on cross-border transactions. The team is well regarded for its representation of financial institutions in the establishment of revolving credit facilities, and acts for a number of the country's most high-profile banks. On the regulatory side, Fasken's team demonstrates an impressive track record in matters relating to payment systems, credit card programmes and digital product distributions, as well as anti-money laundering matters. It is equally well placed to handle regulatory work relating to large-scale M&A transactions. Fasken has a deep bench of practitioners in its offices across Canada, including Toronto and Montréal.

McCarthy Tétrault maintains a prominent position in the Canadian banking and finance marketplace through its representation of lenders, including many of the country's largest financial institutions, as well as major foreign banks. The group has a strong presence in the structured finance and asset-based lending spaces, with further proficiency in areas such as refinancing, syndicatedfinancing and acquisition finance. The firm also acts on the borrower side, offering significant experience of project finance as well as construction and bridge financing. The team additionally has a strong track record advising on banking regulatory and compliance matters in relation to M&A as well as regulatory investigations and fintech mandates. The firm's expansive sector expertise ranges from TMT and infrastructure to mining and energy. Notable for its impressive reach across Canada, the firm has offices in Québec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, as well as in New York and London, UK.

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt houses a highly regarded banking and finance practice that is recognised for its representation of foreign financial institutions, including US banks. The group handles a wide variety of traditional banking work, including both acquisition and project finance, with further expertise in debt financing. The firm advises a number of Canadian lenders and borrowers in connection with domestic and multi-jurisdictional transactions, with offices in Montréal, Toronto, Calgary and New York playing key roles. Its clients include traditional and alternative lenders, such as private equity, as well as borrowers in active sectors such as energy. The department also acts for a significant market share of major Canadian banks on regulatory matters arising from capital markets issuances and securitisations. The team is also well equipped to advise on product launches, credit card programs and anti-money laundering compliance.

Borden Ladner Gervais has a large banking and finance team operating from offices across Canada. The group acts on a wide variety of lender mandates in the real estate and natural resources sectors, as well as assisting with construction and project finance matters. The firm also often represents clients in cross-border transactions and is regularly called upon by a number of major Canadian and international banks, as well as non-traditional lenders and sponsors. It is noted for its experience in syndicated acquisition financing, secured credit agreements and refinancing. The department additionally handles a wide range of regulatory matters. Its work in this field covers advice on anti-money laundering and the launch of new financial products, including cryptocurrencies.

Stikeman Elliott advises borrowers, lenders and sponsors on a full range of transactions, including acquisition finance and syndicatedcredit facilities. The firm is frequently involved in various deals across the banking and finance space, with notable experience in refinancing and restructuring as well as credit extensions and amendments. It also acts on project financing. The group regularly acts on financing matters on behalf of private equity firms, with notable experience acting on cross-border financings involving lenders and borrowers in the USA and Europe. It is well equipped to handle international transactions and frequently represents domestic and international banks. The firm rounds off its holistic offering with its strength in the regulatory space, including with regard to transactions in the banking space.