SERVICES

CHLG provides corporate and commercial advice to First Nation governments and First Nation owned businesses.

The scope of our corporate commercial services ranges from small businesses to larger, multifaceted, operations.

Our deep understanding of First Nations’ culture allows us to complete business transactions that incorporate our corporate and commercial experience with First Nation values. Our work includes:

• Corporate Structuring: creating tax-efficient and minimal liability corporate structures (e.g. companies, partnerships, trusts, joint ventures, etc.) for both on- and off-reserve economic developments that maximize taxation benefits available to First Nations under both the Income Tax Act and the Indian Act.

• Advising: advising on corporate structuring, commercial transactions (asset or share purchases), financing and advising directors and officers on various liability matters and fiduciary obligations. Including advising on taxation exemptions for First Nations and individuals under the Indian Act.

• Negotiating and Drafting: negotiating and drafting documents for all aspects of commercial transactions, including revenue sharing agreements, joint ventures, partnership agreements, trust agreements, share and asset purchases and land transactions.

CHLG advises First Nations on both commercial and residential real estate matters relating to on- and off-reserve developments, including land transactions, acquisitions, financing, leasing and additions to reserve. Our work includes:

• Real Estate: ownership, investment and corporate structuring (including joint ventures) for all types of real estate developments, including residential and commercial properties, resorts, casinos and golf courses

• Advising: advising on the purchase and sale of all types of land, including office, retail, hotel, industrial, recreational and development properties

• Negotiating and Drafting: negotiating and drafting documents for the purchase and sale of lands and all types of leases, licences, permits and other asset-management agreements, including commercial, industrial and residential.

• Indian Act Land Transactions: assisting facilitating all types of land transactions under the Indian Act, including designations, leases, permits, expropriations and additions to reserve.

• Advising on the creation of governance structures, including First Nation constitutions, laws, policies and guidelines

• Drafting policies and laws in areas such as membership, financial administration, land, resource management, taxation, financial administration and housing

• Advising on the trust and fiduciary obligations of Chiefs and Councils in a variety of circumstances, including day-to-day governance, commercial transactions, and economic development

• Assisting in the research and development of laws and policies suited to each First Nation’s unique circumstance, history and culture

• Assisting in the development of First Nation governance and management structures and policies

First Nations are often engaged in negotiations with other governments including Municipal, Provincial, Federal and other First Nation governments. Our work includes:

• Developing strategies for agreements on comprehensive land and resource management

• Advising on collaborative decision-making and revenue and benefit sharing

• Negotiating, drafting and advising on various agreements including reconciliation, incremental treaty, land transfer, capital transfer, settlement, and addition to reserve agreements

• Assisting First Nation governments, at the community and leadership level, in negotiating agreements for past, ongoing and future impacts, including those related to hydro-electric, mining, forestry, and other land-use activities

• Developing and negotiating servicing agreements with neighbouring municipalities for water, sewer, fire protection, police and other local services

Inter-Tribal Relationship matters including:

• Facilitating agreements on territorial boundaries and shared use areas

• Creating protocols concerning fish, water, timber and other shared resources

• Developing strategies and structures for inter-tribal dispute resolution

• Developing and negotiating agreements for access to natural resources within respective Traditional Territories

• Negotiating impact benefit and revenue sharing agreements with Crown governments and industry

• Advising on environmental assessments and other regulatory proceedings related to proposed projects