Aaron Hunter

Aaron Hunter is a partner in Gowling WLG's Infrastructure and Construction Group, based in Toronto.

Aaron’s practice is focused on helping owners, engineers, architects, contractors, and suppliers develop and build major capital projects in Canada and around the world. He has extensive experience structuring, drafting, and negotiating the complex commercial contracts at the core of large projects.

No project is ever risk-free, but when the key contracts are clear, fair, and practical, all parties benefit, and the project is much more likely to come in on time, on budget, and performing to specifications. Good contracts encourage long-term strategic thinking, build strong relationships, and make a project much more resilient than it would otherwise be.

Companies in mining, manufacturing, transportation, energy, food and beverage, and other industries look to Aaron for legal leadership at all stages in the life cycle of greenfield and brownfield projects, from the earliest structuring decisions to studies, design, construction, testing, commissioning, handover, and the start of commercial operations. He helps clients understand and make effective use of performance security, including standby letters of credit, bank guarantees, and surety bonds. He routinely advises clients on holdback, prompt payment, and other aspects of construction lien legislation. When the unexpected happens, he works with clients to resolve high-value change orders, claims, and warranty issues.

In addition to creating bespoke structures and agreements for large industrial projects in Canada, the US, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Mauritania, Ghana, Namibia, Australia, and other countries, Aaron has considerable experience working with standard forms developed by industry organizations. He has worked on commercial and residential construction projects of all sizes using CCDC, CCA, RAIC, and OAA standard forms with varying degrees of modification. He is well-versed in all major project delivery models but has a special interest in and familiarity with EPCM and EPC agreements.

Aaron’s practice also extends to supply chain and procurement. On the purchaser side, he helps clients design and run competitive procurement processes, with an emphasis on flexibility, risk management, and meeting critical business goals. On the vendor side, he helps bidders balance the need to pursue opportunities aggressively with the need to protect themselves from liability. Aaron is knowledgeable about supply chain best practices and has developed and rolled out policies, workflows, templates, playbooks, and training materials for companies addressing supply chain challenges.

Regulation of the engineering and architecture professions is another part of Aaron’s practice. When engineering and architectural firms from other countries are planning to pursue work in Canada, Aaron advises them on the rules of professional regulatory bodies and applicable Canadian law. Working with colleagues in Tax, Corporate, and other practice areas, he designs structures that comply with applicable licensing, ownership, and control requirements and allow foreign firms to enter the Canadian market and bid on Canadian projects.

Prior to joining Gowling WLG, Aaron served as in-house counsel at two global engineering firms and in a hybrid legal and business role at a large Canadian mining company. He provides realistic, business-minded advice shaped by years of listening to and learning from people in many different departments, disciplines, and business units, including senior decision-makers at head office and engineers, operators, controllers, and contract managers at remote sites.

Before focusing on projects, Aaron practised corporate and securities law at a well-known Canadian business law firm and in the Toronto office of a global law firm, giving him insight into the broader business context in which capital projects are evaluated, funded, and built.