John Olynyk*

Senior Counsel

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* Professional Corporation

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.

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Experience

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

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