Expropriation Law
Helping property owners and authorities chart a clear course through the expropriation process
Unlock creative, practical solutions to a range of unique expropriation challenges—from informal negotiations to arbitration proceedings, including before Tribunals and the Courts—with a nationally recognized team that puts your interests first.
Drawing on decades of experience, our National Expropriation Law Group helps property owners and expropriating authorities from coast to coast navigate the unique expropriation process. Through strategic solutions, impactful representation, and client-focused legal services, we assist you in maximizing your expropriation rights throughout the negotiation and litigation process.
Working seamlessly with colleagues across Gowling WLG’s diverse practice areas—and alongside land use planners, engineers, appraisers, and business loss experts—we build responsive, expert teams that deliver advanced insight with the perspective needed to address every dimension of your expropriation file.
Experience you can trust
With decades of experience, our strength lies in expertise gained in litigating many leading cases and negotiating principled settlements. We are focused on getting the best results for our clients. We take the lead in negotiating your way through the complexities of the expropriation process. We’re available when and where you need us, responsive to new pressures, and practical in driving matters forward. That focus is what allows us to deliver consistent value across the full expropriation lifecycle.
Here’s what sets us apart:
Expropriated owners: Few firms understand the real impact of a land taking—on livelihoods, property value, and business continuity—the way we do. With decades of proven expertise fighting for fair treatment on behalf of expropriated private-sector clients (e.g., landowners, developers, corporations, homeowners, tenants) and parties impacted by public infrastructure projects, we ensure authorities grasp what’s at stake and fight for outcomes that reflect the full measure of your loss.
Expropriating authorities: Acquiring land for public projects (e.g., small municipal projects, light rail transit projects, hydro projects, highway expansions, etc.) requires careful execution at every stage. We understand the sensitivity that often accompanies the public acquisition of private property under statutory authority. Because our team covers the full range of expropriation law, public-sector clients trust us to manage the entire lifecycle—from by-laws, resolutions, and notices to managing expert services and litigation—ensuring your process is defensible, compliant, and equipped to withstand any challenge.
Multidisciplinary experience: Operating in both official languages, our National Expropriation Law Group works within one of Canada's largest and most respected full-service law firms. Members of our multidisciplinary team represent a diverse range of related practice areas—including environmental law, planning law, municipal law, Indigenous law, civil and commercial litigation, infrastructure, real estate and government relations.
Personal service, efficient results: Expropriation files are high-stakes and all-consuming; our role is to shoulder that intensity. The best service goes beyond checking off boxes in a process—it considers how your expropriation file connects with your wider goals. We act as a partner aligned with your long-term objectives, anticipating challenges and adapting quickly to keep your priorities on track.
“Expropriation files are complex, involving layers of technical, procedural, and strategic issues that can often be difficult to navigate. Our role is to help clients see the full picture, understand their position, and make smart decisions at every stage of the process.”
– John Doherty, Partner and Leader, National Expropriation Law Group
