John Olynyk,

Respected practitioner John advises on the Indigenous law aspects of mining and oil and gas operations. He is noted for his regulatory work, and market commentators highlight his presence on significant disputes in the Aboriginal law space.

- Chambers Canada, 2021 Guide 

John is Lawson Lundell’s General Counsel and a member of the firm’s management team.

In addition, as Senior Counsel John is a member of the firm’s Indigenous, Environmental, and Project Development practice groups. His practice includes advising private sector and government clients throughout Canada on Indigenous, environmental, regulatory and natural resources matters. John advises oil sands developers, conventional oil and gas companies, railways, mining companies, utilities and other resource developers on environmental regulatory matters and on Indigenous law matters, including Indigenous consultation issues and negotiation of cooperation protocols and impact benefit agreements related to natural resource project development.

• Project Law Blog, Contributor
• B.C. Continuing Legal Education B.C. Real Property Assessment Manual, aboriginal property taxation chapter, Editor

• Chambers Canada: Aboriginal Law - Nationwide (Band 1), 2024-2025
• Best Lawyers in Canada:
  • Aboriginal Law / Indigenous Practice and Energy Regulatory Law, 2010-2025
  • Lawyer of the Year: Aboriginal Law (Calgary), 2021
• Chambers Global:
  • Aboriginal Law - Nationwide (Band 1), 2024
  • Aboriginal Law - Nationwide (Band 2), 2023
• The Legal 500 Canada: Indigenous Law (Leading Individual), 2021-2025
• Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Aboriginal Law (Leading Practitioner), 2023-2024
• Thomson Reuters: Stand-out Lawyer, 2022-2023
• Acritas Stars, 2020-2021
• Lexpert Special Edition: Leading Canadian Lawyers in Energy, 2016-2020
• The Legal 500: Aboriginal Law

John’s representative experience includes:

• Advising clients on strategies for working with the Government of Alberta in the development and application of consultation and accommodation guidelines by the Province
• Advising clients on negotiations with Indigenous groups on a range of natural resource, utility and transportation matters
• Advising clients on permitting, regulatory and Indigenous issues for proposed developments in Western and Northern Canada
• Advising clients on matters related to negotiation and implementation of self government agreements, land claims agreements and treaties
• Representing a group of oil sands developers, power and gas utilities and other companies in the negotiation of a consultation and accommodation agreement with the provincial and federal governments and five First Nations in northeastern Alberta
• Helping a major Canadian oil and gas company successfully resolve Indigenous issues arising in the course of regulatory applications for an expansion to a heavy oil project in Alberta
• Advising a major Canadian oil and gas company on negotiation of access agreements and benefits plans for exploration activity in the Northwest Territories
• Advising major conventional oil and gas companies on Indigenous matters in Alberta and British Columbia, including issues arising on Indian reserves and on Métis settlements
• Advising a national railway company on Indigenous matters across Canada, including the negotiation and implementation of ground-breaking agreements on Indigenous property taxation jurisdiction, resolution of historic grievances and local issues, and acquisition of Indian reserve lands for right of way expansions
• Advising natural resource developers on the negotiation of a joint venture business arrangements with an Alberta First Nation
• Assisting a major public utility in negotiating and drafting impact benefits agreements with Indigenous groups affected by a proposed gas pipeline to Vancouver Island, with the result that Indigenous concerns were not an issue before the Canada Energy Regulator (formerly National Energy Board)
• Acting as negotiator, facilitator and legislative drafter for a government client in the development of legislation implementing provisions of land claims agreements