Background

Heather Douglas is a partner in our Toronto office. Heather was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1980 and graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1978.

Areas of Practice

• Heather practises in the area of financial services – specializing in financial transactions involving municipalities (in Ontario and other provinces), provincial and territorial government bodies, Crown corporations and school boards.

Rankings and Recognitions

• Martindale-Hubbell BV Peer Review Rating
• IFLR 1000- Guide to the World 's Leading Law Firms - Project Finance Rating

Professional Experience

• Represented municipalities in respect of the promulgation of new legislation relating to expanded financing powers.
• Represented financial institutions in respect of ongoing legal issues relating to debt issuance by a variety of public sector entities.
• Represented the underwriters in connection with several tranches of pooled debt issued by a non-share capital not-for-profit special purpose corporation in connection with the capital requirements of Ontario district school boards.
• Represented more than 50 Ontario school boards in connection with the refinancing of the boards' non-permanently financed debt through a special purpose vehicle.
• Advised and assisted with the establishment of a pooled investment program for Ontario municipalities.
• Advised and assisted several institutions with the establishment of lending programs to Ontario municipalities through the issuance of debentures.
• Advised and assisted Ontario public sector entities in connection with their general powers relating to a broad spectrum of financial matters
• Represented the Government of Ontario in connection with securities issued by an Ontario municipality to the Government.
• Advised clients in connection with several public-private partnerships involving Ontario municipalities.
• Represented The Hospital for Sick Children in connection with the offering of its debentures for the purposes of financing the proposed Research Tower and for general purposes.
• Representing 69 Ontario school boards in connection with the long term financing of various capital project programs through the Ontario Financing Authority coordinated by the Ministry of Education.

Professional and Community Activities

• Acts as a coordinator (Eastern Canada) of the BLG Public-Private Infrastructure Project group.
• Sits on the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing's Committee on Municipal Debt Issuance and Investment Policy.
• Sat on the Board of Directors of The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships.
• Sat on several Working Groups established by the Province of Ontario in connection with new legislation that relates to the financing powers of municipalities.
• Was the Co-chair of The Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnership's Comparative Municipal Legislation Task Force.
• Sits on the Board of Directors of a multi-national pharmaceutical corporation.
• Frequent speaker at seminars and conferences on public sector financing issues.