Cherie has an Indigenous law and commercial practice across a wide variety of sectors, including major energy infrastructure, transmission and mining projects. She also works directly with First Nations organizations to advise on economic development activities including project development and financing for major projects. She is also a trusted advisor to developers, borrowers, lenders and governments as they navigate complex permitting and approvals where projects may impact aboriginal rights and interests. Always pushing boundaries, Cherie will often provide strategic advice to governments and other authorities seeking to address barriers to participation faced by First Nations communities in the broader economy.
Industry clients in the natural resource, energy and infrastructure sectors will seek Cherie's counsel when developing projects or partnerships with Indigenous groups and addressing constitutionally protected interests of the Indigenous nations with which Canada shares its land and jurisdiction.
As lead counsel to the First Nations Energy Alliance (a consortium of twenty First Nations) on the Integrated Power System Plan review before the Ontario Energy Board, her counsel was instrumental in raising Crown consultation requirements on the provincial energy plan and promoting Aboriginal participation models for renewable energy procurement.
In 2016, Cherie was retained as lead counsel by the regional government for all First Nations in Ontario to lead on multiple transactions arising out of the privatization of Hydro One Limited. One of the largest limited partnerships among First Nations in Canada was created in 2018 and the entity, through its subsidiary is still considered one of the top shareholders to the company.
She is both Mohawk from Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte and Ojibway from Wikwemkoong Unceded Indian Reserve.
In 2017, Cherie received the Lexpert Zenith Award, a national award recognizing women's contributions in the law. In 2012, she was named one of Lexpert's "Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40."
Cherie is a member of the firm's Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) initiative.
Experience
- Co-counsel on behalf of a 10 member Indigenous-led consortium for up to 72 Indigenous communities proposing to partner on existing major infrastructure in the natural gas space for assets principally located in Alberta.
- Acting on behalf of a government owned entity that is proposing to facilitate equity participation for up to 120 First Nations (including Metis groups) in British Columbia and Alberta on a major linear pipeline project that is currently in operation.
- Acting for a leading Canadian power producer on Canada's largest battery storage project (250MW/10000 MWh lithium- ion) currently under construction, involving a First Nation in southern Ontario and other commercial partners.
- Lead Counsel on behalf of a commercial partnership involving up to 7 First Nations on proposed equity participation for Ontario's first small modular reactor project proposed to be located in southern Ontario.
- Counsel on the development of the lending program for the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative (ICII) with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and have since completed due diligence and duty to consult advisory on multiple projects in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Québec, Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Lead Counsel to Ontario Chiefs-in-Assembly on the creation of Ontario First Nation Sovereign Wealth LP, a partnership among 129 First Nations in Ontario, on the negotiation to acquire 2.4 per cent of Hydro One Limited from the Province of Ontario and obtain a significant seed capital contribution for long-term wealth creation.
- Special Counsel to a major transmission developer in the U.S. on a proposed 1000 MW transmission line for Canada/U.S. on all aspects of the duty to consult process including equity participation and financing.
- Completed more than 3000 MW of limited partnerships for or on behalf of First Nations in Ontario and Alberta and more than 680 MW of installed capacity for First Nations.
- Represented multiple developers and Ontario First Nations (Walpole Island First Nation, Alderville First Nation) in the structuring of Indigenous held entities to bid into the Ontario Independent Electricity Systems Operator (“IESO”) expedited battery storage facility RFP (E-LTI) in February 2023 resulting in multiple bids in excess of 900 MW of proposed storage projects.
- Counsel to developers, municipalities and Indigenous groups across Canada on renewable energy, electricity and transmission projects, among other construction projects and advise on duty to consult and strategic partnerships.
- Counsel to First Nations intervenors on East-West Tie proceeding to develop a 450 km transmission line in Northern Ontario.
- Counsel on joint venture agreements among Indigenous groups and infrastructure companies for competitive procurement processes in mining, construction and infrastructure.
- Counsel to First Nations on land and retail development projects involving leasing, financing and establishing franchises on First Nations lands.
- Counsel to an Aboriginal Housing Fund that administers multi-residential development loans for Indigenous projects in the Greater Toronto Area.
- Counsel on several commercial financings for multi-residential, industrial and commercial properties ($5M to $50M).
- Borrower counsel on several loan refinancing ranging for industrial and commercial properties across Ontario ($5M to $80M).
- Co-counsel on behalf of a 10 member Indigenous-led consortium for up to 72 Indigenous communities proposing to partner on existing major infrastructure in the natural gas space for assets principally located in Alberta.
- Acting on behalf of a government owned entity that is proposing to facilitate equity participation for up to 120 First Nations (including Metis groups) in British Columbia and Alberta on a major linear pipeline project that is currently in operation.
- Acting for a leading Canadian power producer on Canada's largest battery storage project (250MW/10000 MWh lithium- ion) currently under construction, involving a First Nation in southern Ontario and other commercial partners.
- Lead Counsel on behalf of a commercial partnership involving up to 7 First Nations on proposed equity participation for Ontario's first small modular reactor project proposed to be located in southern Ontario.
- Counsel on the development of the lending program for the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative (ICII) with the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and have since completed due diligence and duty to consult advisory on multiple projects in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Québec, Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Lead Counsel to Ontario Chiefs-in-Assembly on the creation of Ontario First Nation Sovereign Wealth LP, a partnership among 129 First Nations in Ontario, on the negotiation to acquire 2.4 per cent of Hydro One Limited from the Province of Ontario and obtain a significant seed capital contribution for long-term wealth creation.
- Special Counsel to a major transmission developer in the U.S. on a proposed 1000 MW transmission line for Canada/U.S. on all aspects of the duty to consult process including equity participation and financing.
- Completed more than 3000 MW of limited partnerships for or on behalf of First Nations in Ontario and Alberta and more than 680 MW of installed capacity for First Nations.
- Represented multiple developers and Ontario First Nations (Walpole Island First Nation, Alderville First Nation) in the structuring of Indigenous held entities to bid into the Ontario Independent Electricity Systems Operator (“IESO”) expedited battery storage facility RFP (E-LTI) in February 2023 resulting in multiple bids in excess of 900 MW of proposed storage projects.
- Counsel to developers, municipalities and Indigenous groups across Canada on renewable energy, electricity and transmission projects, among other construction projects and advise on duty to consult and strategic partnerships.
- Counsel to First Nations intervenors on East-West Tie proceeding to develop a 450 km transmission line in Northern Ontario.
- Counsel on joint venture agreements among Indigenous groups and infrastructure companies for competitive procurement processes in mining, construction and infrastructure.
- Counsel to First Nations on land and retail development projects involving leasing, financing and establishing franchises on First Nations lands.
- Counsel to an Aboriginal Housing Fund that administers multi-residential development loans for Indigenous projects in the Greater Toronto Area.
- Counsel on several commercial financings for multi-residential, industrial and commercial properties ($5M to $50M).
- Borrower counsel on several loan refinancing ranging for industrial and commercial properties across Ontario ($5M to $80M).
