Derek G. Chiasson
Senior Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Derek Chiasson is a partner in our tax team. His principal focus is on domestic and international tax aspects of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance and corporate reorganizations, for public and private corporations. He also regularly advises on tax disputes, commodity taxes and executive compensation. Derek leverages his broad experience to bridge tax, finance and legal aspects of the transactions and reorganizations he works on, while maintaining strong technical skills, attention to detail and creativity. He also has industry experience, having served as vice-president, corporate development/strategy and legal affairs of a multi-national US public company in the video game industry listed on the NASDAQ exchange
Professional experience
Collapse allB.C.L./LL.B., McGill University, 1996
In-Depth Tax Course, Parts I, II and III, C.I.C.A.
B.A., Western University, 1992
- Quebec 1998
Derek has acted as counsel to the following clients:
- SNC-Lavalin in connection with the sale of 10.01% of its interest in 407 International Inc. to a company controlled by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (2019), the planning, formation and launch of SNC-Lavalin Infrastructure Partners LP, the subscription by a Canadian subsidiary of BBGI SICAV S.A. for 80% of the limited partnership interests and the transfer of an initial portfolio of infrastructure projects to the limited partnership (2017), its acquisition of WS Atkins plc and contemporaneous public offering and private placement of subscription receipts (2017), the sale of its 100% equity stake in AltaLink, Alberta's largest regulated electricity transmission company, to Berkshire Hathaway Energy (2014), its sale of SNC-Lavalin Energy Control Systems Inc. to GE Energy Canada (2010) and in connection with numerous other matters.
- Sverica International, a leading US private equity firm, in connection with its sale of offender management systems provider Syscon Justice Systems to Harris Computer, a subsidiary of Constellation Software (2017), its sale of IT infrastructure solutions company Pivot Data Centres (formerly Care Factor Computer Services) to Rogers Communications Inc. (2013), its acquisition from Securus Technologies of software solutions company Syscon Justice Systems (2010) and its acquisition of Care Factor Computer Services (2009), and in connection with numerous other matters.
- Laurentian Bank of Canada in connection with its acquisition of US and Canadian inventory finance lender Northpoint Commercial Finance (2017), its acquisition of the Canadian equipment financing and corporate financing activities of CIT Group Inc. (2016), its acquisition of AGF Trust Company (2012), and the financing transactions contemporaneous with such transactions including private placement of common share subscription receipts with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and the Fonds de solidarité des travailleurs du Québec, and in connection with numerous other matters.
- CAE Inc. in connection with its acquisition of aviation training management solutions and courseware provider Pelesys (2018 and 2019), its acquisition of Alpha-Omega Change Engineering (2018), its acquisition of Lockheed Martin Commercial Flight Training (2016), and the sale of its mining division, known as Datamine, to Constellation Software Inc., an international provider of market-leading software and services (2015), and in connection with numerous other matters.
- McKesson Canada in connection with its acquisition of Uniprix, one of the largest groups of independent pharmacists in Quebec (2017), its acquisition of Remedy's Rx banner (2015) and its acquisition of Patient Direct Group and Specialized Health Care Corporation, an Oakville, Ontario-based specialty and biological drug distribution, patient support and direct-to-patient drug dispensing business (2010).
- Acklands-Grainger, Canada's largest distributor of industrial, safety and fastener supplies, in connection with its acquisition of WFS Enterprises Inc., a leading distributor of tools and supplies to industrial markets in Southern Ontario and select US locations (2014) and its acquisition of substantially all the assets of Excel F.I.G., a regional distributor of industrial supplies in the Province of Quebec (2008) and Solus Sécurité Inc., a leading fire protection and safety distributor in Quebec (2010), and in connection with numerous other matters.
- Ivanhoe Cambridge, the real estate subsidiary of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, in connection with its sale of a portfolio of shopping centres and office buildings to Cominar Real Estate Investment Trust (2014), its acquisition of the Rockhill Apartments in Montreal, a 1000-unit residential complex (2011), its acquisition of OMERS Realty Corporation's interests in Lynden Park Mall (2011), its acquisition of OMERS Realty Corporation's interests in the Place Laurier, Oshawa Centre and Oakridge Centre shopping malls, Sears Canada's interests in Place Vertu shopping centre as part of the ongoing redevelopment of the property and sale of Ivanhoe Cambridge Inc.'s interests in the Upper Canada Mall and Southcentre Mall in Calgary (2010), and numerous other matters.
- Metro Inc. in connection with its acquisition of a majority stake in leading Quebec bakery Premiere Moisson (2014) and its acquisition of Adonis (2012).
- Stornoway Diamond Corporation, a leading Canadian diamond exploration and development company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, in its comprehensive financing transaction with US private equity firm Orion Mine Finance, Investissement Québec, and the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec to fund the construction of the Renard Diamond Project, Quebec's first diamond mine. These transactions comprised: an offering of common share subscription receipts, by way of private placement and concurrent prospectus offering in Canada; a forward sale of diamonds by way of a streaming agreement; a senior secured loan facility; a convertible unsecured loan; a cost overrun credit facility; and an equipment financing facility (2014) and in connection with its acquisition of the remaining 50% interest of Diaquem Inc., a subsidiary of Investissement Québec, in the Renard diamond project, and the related bought deal financing (2010), and in connection with numerous other matters.
- Best Lawyers in Canada: Tax law, 2018-2024
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, 2014-2024: recommended in Corporate Tax
- Who's Who Legal: Canada - Corporate Tax 2020
- Who's Who Legal: Corporate tax - Advisory
- "Transaction Costs," Canadian Tax Foundation, 2019 Conference Report.
- Canadian federal budget 2017 - tax measures, Norton Rose Fulbright legal update, March 2017.
- Supreme Court of Canada rules on value of assumed obligations in asset sales, June 2013.
- Denial of Canadian R&D tax credits - not a CCPC based on de facto control, February 2013.
- Canada - Canada's Federal Court of Appeal rules on value of assumed obligations in asset sales, January 2012.
- "Transactions majeures récentes," annual seminar presented during annual conference organized by the Association de planification fiscale et financière entitled "Colloque sur les réorganisations d'entreprises et transactions commerciales," 2019 to 2024.
- "Transactions d’intérêt," presentation at the APFF Symposium fiscal de North Hatley, June 1, 2023.
- "Recent Transactions," seminar presented at the IFA Canada Tax Conference, Toronto, May 16-17, 2022.
- "Transaction Costs," seminar presented at the 71st Annual Tax Conference of the Canadian Tax Foundation, December 2, 2019.
- "Webinar – M&A academy series: Tax consequences in an M&A deal," February 26, 2019.
- "Modifications législatives récentes" seminar presented in the context of a conference organized by the Association de planification fiscale et financière entitled "Colloque sur les réorganisations d'entreprises et les transactions commerciales," March 15, 2018.
- "Développements récents - Fiscalité des entreprises," seminar presented to the Tax Executives Institute, March 14, 2018.
- "Enjeux canadiens et transfrontaliers pour les sociétés de personnes," seminar presented in the context of a conference organized by Wolters Kluwer entitled Fiscalité des sociétés de personnes, 3e édition, June 1st, 2017.
- "Webinar: Insights and business impact of the 2017 Canadian Federal Budget," March 23, 2017.
- "Certains enjeux fiscaux liés aux investissements immobiliers effectués par l'entremise d'une société de personnes," seminar presented in the context of a seminar organized by Wolters Kluwer entitled Fiscalité des sociétés de personnes, 2e édition, June 9, 2016.
- International Fiscal Association
- Co-chair of IFA Canada 2019 IFA International Tax Conference
- Council member of the IFA Canada Council
- Canadian Bar Association
- Former member of the CBA/CICA Joint Commitee on Taxation
- Canadian Tax Foundation
- Former member of the Planning Committee and Young Practitioners’ Committee
- Association de planification fiscale et financière (tax and financial planning association)
News
Recognized leaders in Finance and M&A in Lexpert’s Special Edition 2024
April 17, 2024
Top honours at the Canadian Law Awards: Our Canadian team is recognized in M&A, Restructuring & Insolvency, and Technology
May 12, 2023
Recognized leaders in Finance and M&A in Lexpert’s Special Edition
April 19, 2023
Insights
New transparency obligations for enterprises doing business in Quebec
Publication | March 1, 2023
2022 Canadian Federal Budget
Publication | April 07, 2022
Client work
OpSens Inc. advised in its C$345m going-private transaction
December 18, 2023
Québec City and Montréal offices advise H2O Innovation Inc. in its C$395m going-private transaction
December 15, 2023
CAE Inc. definitive agreement to sell its healthcare business to Madison Industries
October 26, 2023
Turquoise Hill Resources Ltd. C$4.3bn going-private acquisition by Rio Tinto plc
December 16, 2022