John Olynyk,

• 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), 2024-2025
  • Aboriginal Law - Nationwide (Band 2), 2023
• The Legal 500 Canada: Indigenous Law (Leading Individual), 2021-2025
• Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Aboriginal Law (Leading Practitioner), 2023-2025
• 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