James (Jim) D. Fraser

Jim is a senior litigator with a focus on municipal, real estate, and administrative law, and is widely recognized as a leading practitioner in property taxation, expropriation, and related matters. He advises government bodies, utilities, Crown corporations, private entities, and First Nations on a wide range of land and tax-related issues.

His practice includes advising on the imposition and management of property taxes, property transfer taxes, mineral taxes, and similar levies affecting various types of properties. He also advises on grants in lieu of property taxes and their administration. Jim regularly acts on expropriations carried out for public infrastructure projects, including highways, transit lines, LNG pipelines, hydroelectric facilities, transmission corridors, and municipal amenities such as parks, libraries, and seawalls.

He has extensive experience negotiating and arbitrating commercial lease renewals and rent reviews, and resolving land use issues involving zoning, development permits, and other regulatory approvals. Jim frequently works with planners, development managers, appraisers, engineers, and other expert witnesses in complex valuation and litigation matters.

Jim routinely appears before tribunals, arbitration panels, and all levels of court. His appearances include the B.C. Property Assessment Review Panel, the B.C. Property Assessment Appeal Board, the Federal Payment in Lieu of Tax Dispute Advisory Panel, arbitration tribunals, the Canadian Transportation Agency, the Yellowknife Development Appeal Board, the B.C. Supreme Court, the B.C. Court of Appeal, and the Federal Court.