Year of Call

Ontario, 2002

Education

LL.B., University of Toronto, 2000

B.Sc. (Hons) (with Distinction), University of Toronto, 1996

Signe Leisk

Signe Leisk is the head of the Municipal, Planning & Environmental Group. Her practice encompasses all aspects of municipal, land use planning and environmental law, including expropriations and proceedings under the Building Code Act. She has extensive experience representing both private sector builders and developers as well as municipalities and public institutions. Signe appears regularly before the Ontario Municipal Board and the courts.

Signe has authored numerous articles on municipal and planning law and is a co-author of three leading texts: Municipal and Planning Law in Canada, 2nd edition, published by Thomson Carswell, Canadian Forms & Precedents-Municipal Law published by LexisNexis Butterworths, and Canadian Forms & Precedents – Land Development, also published by LexisNexis Butterworths. She has also guest lectured on municipal and planning law at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law and Department of Geography and the Queen's University School of Urban and Regional Planning.

In addition to her law practice, Signe is secretary of the Board of Directors of the YWCA of Greater Toronto, and is Chair of its Asset Management Committee.

In 2010, Signe was awarded the inaugural Precedent Setter Award by Precedent Magazine for excellence and leadership in her practice.

Her work experience includes:

Representing Infrastructure Ontario in the development of the West Don Lands in the Toronto waterfront, including preparations for the Pan/Parapan American Games
Obtaining approval for large scale, institutional and public facilities in the City of Toronto, including the proposed development of the Pan Am/Parapan Aquatics Facility at the former Morningside Landfill in Toronto
Advising on the redevelopment of contaminated land, including former landfill sites, and assisting with obtaining all required approvals under the Environmental Protection Act and the Environmental Assessment Act, including class environmental assessments
Acting for developers in obtaining approvals for high rise condominium towers, residential plans of subdivision and common elements condominiums across Ontario
Acting for a client in obtaining approvals for the development of a 325 hectare ‘energy park’ with renewable (wind and solar) and non-renewable (liquid fuels storage and transportation) components
Assisting municipalities with large scale expansions of infrastructure, such as roads, water and sewer lines, including expropriations as required
Acting for both public and private sector clients with respect to development charge matters, including negotiating and drafting front-ending and development charge credit agreements, and providing representation before the Ontario Municipal Board
Advising municipalities and telecommunication providers with respect to the construction of telecommunication towers and the negotiation of license agreements
Advising the State Environmental Protection Administration of the Government of China on Ontario's environmental laws to assist them in preparing environmental regulations for China
Acting for a national retail chain in obtaining development approvals across Ontario
Providing strategic advice and guidance for large scale community developments, including approvals for secondary plans and block plans
Assisting clients with urban boundary expansions and employment land conversions