A senior tax partner with extensive domestic and international tax knowledge, John advises on the tax aspects of domestic and international business ventures for significant public and private companies in Canada, the United States and Europe, with a focus on the real estate industry. He is lead adviser to a number of Canadian-based multinational groups on the tax structuring of their global investments and is trusted by many Canadian public and private real estate companies, REITs, funds and other multinationals. John is a pioneer in the establishment of cross-border REITs. He frequently advises international funds and corporations on investing in Canada. John co-edited Essays on Tax Treaties: A Tribute to David A. Ward, is the co-author of Ward’s Tax Law and Planning and a contributor to Taxation of Companies on Capital Gains on Shares under Domestic Law, EU Law and Tax Treaties. Select Recognition: Chambers Global; Chambers Canada; International Tax Review’s World Tax; Tax Directors Handbook’s TDH250; Lexpert Special Editions: Finance, Insolvency and Restructuring; The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory; The Best Lawyers in Canada; Lexology Index; Expert Guides – Tax.
On December 10, 2019, affiliates of real estate funds managed by The Blackstone Group Inc. (collectively, Blackstone) acquired all of the subsidiaries and assets of Dream Global Real Estate Investment Trust (Dream Global)
Spear Street Capital LLC and its affiliates acquired the interests of BlackBerry Limited and its affiliates in the majority of BlackBerry’s real estate holdings in Canada located in Waterloo, Cambridge, Mississauga and Ottawa, Ontario, for approximately $305 million.
On October 8, 2003, InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust completed a secondary offering of its 9.75 per cent convertible unsecured subordinated debentures due on June 30, 2007.