Rick represents and advises clients on commercial and regulatory aspects of project development, permitting and operations in the energy and natural resource sectors, including land, environmental and Indigenous issues. Rick also represents and advises clients on dispute resolution including regulatory proceedings, corporate/commercial litigation and arbitration, with a focus on energy, transportation, forestry and mining.
Rick is the National Business Leader of the Environmental, Municipal, Expropriation and Regulatory Group and a member of the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) leadership team.
Rick has appeared at all levels of court in British Columbia, the Federal Court and the Supreme Court of Canada. He has represented clients before the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC), the Surface Rights Board, the Energy Resource Appeal Tribunal (formerly the Oil and Gas Appeal Tribunal), the Safety Authority, the Environmental Appeal Board as well as the Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) and the National Energy Board (NEB). Rick also has significant experience advising clients on their applications and dealings with the British Columbia Energy Regulator (formerly Oil and Gas Commission).
Rick provides legal services through a Law Corporation.
Experience
- Acted for a developer organization in a hearing before the BCUC successfully opposing the approval of a Neighbourhood Energy Agreement and issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for a district energy project.
- Lead counsel on a number of appeals to the Energy Resource Appeal Tribunal (formerly the Oil and Gas Appeal Tribunal), including an oil and gas producer in the successful defence of a series of appeals – the first in British Columbia that directly addressed issues concerning the impact of hydraulic fracturing on groundwater and induced seismicity, and the sufficiency of regulations relating to such issues.
- Advised Pacific Northwest LNG on all regulatory aspects relating to its proposed LNG facility.
- Advised a project proponent on all regulatory matters relating to the PTP pipeline and KM LNG facility.
- Represented a ski resort in a dispute with a mining company regarding regulatory approvals for a power line project to provide service to a skiing lodge and issues regarding historical power service.
- Acting for the province of British Columbia in defence of an action by Blueberry River First Nations alleged breach of Treaty.
- Lead counsel in the first common carrier/common processor hearing before the BCUC in more than 30 years. This hearing established the test to be applied in BC.
- Lead counsel in the successful challenge of a public utility's discriminatory security deposit policy before the BCUC.
- Acted on successful applications to the ERCB (now AER), obtaining one of the largest interim shut-ins ever.
- Lead counsel on number of appeals to the Oil and Gas Appeal Tribunal.
- Lead counsel on many successful arbitrations/motions before the BC Surface Rights Board.
- Counsel on a number of contaminated site cases, including the first trial in BC to consider reasonably incurred costs of remediation under BC's legislation.
- Represented the British Columbia Ministry of Forests on a 20-day trial, resulting in its acquittal of all charges under the federal Fisheries Act.
- Lead counsel for a foreign bank in the arrest and judicial sale of a vessel, including overseeing a courthouse auction (part of global efforts to enforce a $77-million judgment from a U.S. court).
- Successfully defended an international shipping company on the validity of an arrest to the Supreme Court of Canada Acted for an international shipping company in successfully defending the validity of an arrest to the Supreme Court of Canada.
- Acted for a developer organization in a hearing before the BCUC successfully opposing the approval of a Neighbourhood Energy Agreement and issuance of a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity for a district energy project.
- Lead counsel on a number of appeals to the Energy Resource Appeal Tribunal (formerly the Oil and Gas Appeal Tribunal), including an oil and gas producer in the successful defence of a series of appeals – the first in British Columbia that directly addressed issues concerning the impact of hydraulic fracturing on groundwater and induced seismicity, and the sufficiency of regulations relating to such issues.
- Advised Pacific Northwest LNG on all regulatory aspects relating to its proposed LNG facility.
- Advised a project proponent on all regulatory matters relating to the PTP pipeline and KM LNG facility.
- Represented a ski resort in a dispute with a mining company regarding regulatory approvals for a power line project to provide service to a skiing lodge and issues regarding historical power service.
- Acting for the province of British Columbia in defence of an action by Blueberry River First Nations alleged breach of Treaty.
- Lead counsel in the first common carrier/common processor hearing before the BCUC in more than 30 years. This hearing established the test to be applied in BC.
- Lead counsel in the successful challenge of a public utility's discriminatory security deposit policy before the BCUC.
- Acted on successful applications to the ERCB (now AER), obtaining one of the largest interim shut-ins ever.
- Lead counsel on number of appeals to the Oil and Gas Appeal Tribunal.
- Lead counsel on many successful arbitrations/motions before the BC Surface Rights Board.
- Counsel on a number of contaminated site cases, including the first trial in BC to consider reasonably incurred costs of remediation under BC's legislation.
- Represented the British Columbia Ministry of Forests on a 20-day trial, resulting in its acquittal of all charges under the federal Fisheries Act.
- Lead counsel for a foreign bank in the arrest and judicial sale of a vessel, including overseeing a courthouse auction (part of global efforts to enforce a $77-million judgment from a U.S. court).
- Successfully defended an international shipping company on the validity of an arrest to the Supreme Court of Canada Acted for an international shipping company in successfully defending the validity of an arrest to the Supreme Court of Canada.
