Global Canada Tax

Blake, Cassels & Graydon is a top-tier, full-service national law firm with offices in Ottawa, Toronto, Montréal, Calgary and Vancouver. Its prominent tax team is highly sought after for its experience in transactional planning, including a high volume of cross-border M&A work. The firm's diverse offering also features impressive capabilities in transfer pricing and commodity tax, as well as tax controversy and litigation. It has notable expertise across various industry sectors, including energy, infrastructure and transportation, and is also active in the private equity space.

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg houses an outstanding team of tax experts, providing advice to prominent players across a variety of sectors, including healthcare, telecommunications, mining and real estate. With leading lawyers based in Toronto and Montréal, the firm is frequently involved in novel tax structuring work in relation to major domestic and cross-border M&A deals, as well as private equity fund formation. The team also has a solid tax litigation practice and benefits from the additional support offered by its tax group in New York.

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt is renowned for its exceptional tax group, with strength and depth in both tax planning and dispute resolution. Much admired for the breadth of its subject matter and geographical coverage, the firm is particularly well regarded for its litigation expertise as well as advising on big-ticket M&A and transactions. It is also noted for its robust sales tax practice and its work on international taxation and transfer pricing issues. The department's impressive client list includes significant players from a variety of sectors including manufacturing, energy, real estate, technology and financial services.

Bennett Jones is a well-respected law firm with solid tax departments in Calgary and Toronto, offering impressive depth in both its transactional and litigation capabilities, as well as commodity tax. The team is also reputed for its adeptness in restructuring matters, with notable cross-border capabilities. The oil and gas, mining and energy industries are a particular focus of the practice. Its lawyers continue to act for financial institutions and real estate and pharmaceutical companies.

Goodmans is a Toronto law firm with a dynamic tax structuring team that is particularly well regarded for its significant expertise in domestic and cross-border M&A matters. The team is also well respected for its tax planning advice on capital markets and private equity investment deals, and also acts on corporate restructuring work. It is known for its significant experience in the energy, financial services, mining and real estate sectors.

McCarthy Tétrault possesses a robust tax practice offering national reach out of its Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montréal offices. The team provides tax controversy and litigation support, as well as corporate, sales and commodity tax advice. The firm frequently acts for clients in the telecommunications, real estate and energy industry sectors, as well as impressive names in insurance, private equity and investment funds.

Stikeman Elliott is well known for its national and cross-border capabilities, with core strength in Montréal, Toronto and Calgary. The firm operates a diverse tax practice with a broad roster of both domestic and international clients, covering pension funds, REITs, private equity funds and blue-chip corporates on all manner of tax issues, with a focus on transactions and investments. The team continues to grow its tax litigation component and offers experience of tax disputes before all court levels. The firm has additional expertise in the energy, real estate and retail sectors.

Torys possesses a solid tax team with strong capabilities in the financial services sector. Its Toronto and Calgary-based tax lawyers regularly advise on the tax aspects of prominent transactions handled by the firm's standout corporate practice. The firm is also known for its large tax advisory group, including its robust cross-border tax planning expertise bolstered by its New York office. It is additionally well regarded for its strength in tax controversy and litigation.

Norton Rose Fulbright is an international firm with a solid Canadian tax practice featuring considerable national reach. With offices in the country's major business centres, the tax department offers seamless multi-jurisdictional advice across all manner of corporate and transactional tax issues. Tax litigation is a further area of strength for the team nationwide. It maintains a strong presence in the resources sector. The Vancouver office is known for a focus on private company tax planning.

Thorsteinssons features a well-respected group of tax specialists with a robust presence in Vancouver and Toronto, and is well known for its tax expertise in the mining sector. The firm receives acclaim for its very active tax controversy and litigation practice. It offers further strength for private clients in the high net worth arena.

An Aird & Berlis team led by Toronto-based Christopher Slade appeared in a Tax Court of Canada appeal for Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, a Canadian affiliate of Thermo Fisher Scientific. The case centred on whether cross-border distributions totalling approximately CAD400 million were returns of capital or, as alleged by the Canada Revenue Agency, dividends subject to non-resident withholding tax under the Income Tax Act.

Borden Ladner Gervais provides national tax support across a number of sectors, including energy, mining, employee benefits and investment funds. The firm offers additional expertise in sales and commodity taxation, inbound and outbound investments and tax litigation. The tax team is well versed in advising financial services sector clients and REITs. Other clients include energy and real estate companies.

Fasken's tax department is noted for its experience in corporate tax, international tax planning and tax dispute resolution. The firm has impressive geographical reach, with offices across Canada's main business centres and a significant international presence. The group is particularly active in the energy and financial services sectors. It is notable for providing tax support to startups and emerging companies.

Baker McKenzie is a high-profile multinational law firm with strong tax capabilities in Canada. The firm is particularly respected for its international coordination and handling of cross-border mandates. Its lawyers provide counsel on various contentious matters, including controversies, as well as tax planning and transactions. The team advises a broad range of clients including manufacturers and technology companies.

McMillan is a law firm with notable reach across Canada with tax practices in a number of major cities. The group provides a broad spectrum of advice to clients on both domestic and cross-border taxation, including M&A deals, financings and transfer pricing. It is also recognised for its solid tax litigation practice. Clients include financial institutions, and companies involved in the oil and gas, technology and automotive sectors.