416.865.7908
- Counsel to the lenders on the $2.5 billion Finch West Light Rail Transit Project in Toronto, Canada
- Counsel to the bond and bank lenders to the $4.2 billion Champlain Bridge Project in Montreal, Canada
- Counsel to the bond and bank lenders to the $1.2 billion Highway 407 East Phase 2 Project
- Counsel to the bond and bank lenders to the 132 MW John Hart Generating Station Power Project in British Columbia
- Counsel to the Alderville First Nation 5 MW solar farm generating station, the first 100% First Nation owned solar power project in Canada
- Counsel to ONroute with respect to the $300 million AFP project for the 23 service station and restaurants on Highways 400 and 401 in the Province of Ontario
- Counsel to lenders to one of the bidders on the Waterloo Region Light Transit project;
- Counsel to the lenders to one of the bid teams for the Windsor-Essex Parkway Project
- Counsel to the Batchewana First Nation in respect of its equity stake in a 60 MW wind power project in Ontario
- Counsel to Infrastructure Ontario in respect of the procurement of the proposed Ontario diabetes registry
- Advisor to the World Bank in respect of PPP training for the governments of Sierra Leone and Peru
- Counsel to Export Development Canada with respect to loans to Chrysler Canada, Inc.
- Counsel to the developers of FIT PV electricity project
Timothy John Murphy*
He | Him
Expertise
Indigenous Law
Construction & Infrastructure
Financial Services
Government & Public Policy
Project Finance & P3
Language(s) Spoken
- English
Tim Murphy is recognized as a leading lawyer in public private partnerships and infrastructure. He has exceptional expertise in financial services, government and public policy, and Indigenous law. Advising national and international clients, Tim provides trusted counsel in diverse areas including project finance, construction law, infrastructure and renewable energy, government procurement and bid practices.
An extensive and distinguished background in the public sector gives Tim unique insight into the workings of government. He served as chief of staff to the prime minister of Canada, providing strategic advice and direction to cabinet, the prime minister and senior levels of the public service. He also served as chief of staff to a former finance minister of Canada, as a member of provincial parliament in Ontario and as a strategic advisor to governments at all levels.
Tim is ranked in the area of projects by Chambers Global and PLC Which Lawyer and in project finance by the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory and IFLR 1000. Tim was also nominated by in-house counsel and his peers to appear in the 1st edition of the Guide to the World’s Leading Banking Finance and Transactional Attorneys for his work in project finance.
A frequent commentator on BNN, Global Television, CTV Newsnet and CBC Newsworld, Tim is the author of Public-private Partnerships in Canada: Law, Policy and Value for Money, published by LexisNexis Canada in 2019. He teaches the Law and Policy of Public Private Partnerships at the JD and LLM levels at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. Tim is also a member of the national public affairs firm McMillan Vantage Policy Group and is a leader of the firm’s Project Finance and P3 Group.
Expertise
Representative Matters
Speaking Engagements
Moderator, Best Practices for Highly Regulated Industries Public Affairs, The Canadian Institute, Ottawa, Ontario
March 2017Cross Country Panel: the Use of P3s in Canada Special Best Practices Panel: Lessons Learned and Challenges on the Horizon - Osgoode Certificate in Public-Private Partnerships, Toronto, Ontario
February 2017Speaker, PPP Projects and Process PPP Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
November 2016Panelist, Ontario Chamber of Commerce Ontario Economic Report, Toronto, Ontario
November 2016Legal Panel, Let's Get Jurisprudential: Hot Topics in P3 Law and Procurement Innovating our Future – the 24th Annual CCPPP National Conference on Public-Private Partnerships, Toronto, Ontario
November 2016Managing Risk in Healthcare Facility Building Projects Canadian Healthcare Infrastructure, Toronto, Ontario
October 2016Public Private Partnerships, Lecturer Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law
May 2016Constraining Costs and Staying Competitive in the Electricity Market Panelists, Empowering Ontario
July 8, 2015The Implications of the Keewatin and Tsilhqot'in Decisions in Ontario and Building Economic Partnerships with First Nations and Metis Communities Co-Chair, Pacific Business & Law Institute
October 28, 2014Changing Ownership Landscape in Ontario Panel Panel, OEA Energy Conference
October 7, 2014Alternative Delivery Symposium Outline Ontario Road Builders' Association
December 2, 2013 Download FileInfrastructure and PPP in Canada and Developing Countries Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong
September 27, 2013 Download FileInfrastructure Development: Getting it Right in Myanmar Myanmar Conference - Separating hope from hype: Assessing the Myanmar opportunity, Hong Kong
September 26, 2013 Download FileWhat Could Ontario's Evolving Long-term Plan Aspire to with Respect to RE/DG Penetration in the Power Mix? Moderator, EUCI Conference - Securing Ontario's Distribution Grid of the Future - Together, Toronto, ON
September 16, 2013P3s as an Expedient Financing Vehicle - Public and Private Sector Perspectives 10th Construction Financing Conference
December 13, 2012 Download FileDebate Series: Two Sides of Contentious Issues Facing the Canadian P3 Market The 20th annual CCPPP National Conference on Public-Private Partnerships, Toronto, ON
November 26, 2012Second Coming: The Re-emergence of the Canadian Bond Market for P3 Projects World Infrastructure Summit, Amsterdam, Netherlands
November 2012 Download FileDeveloping Successful Commercial Structures with Aboriginal Communities
October 30, 2012 Download FilePublic Administrators' Management of Media Issues Guest Speaker
October 10, 2012Aboriginal Projects: Case Studies Chair, SSX Ontario: Solar Summit and Expo June 20, 2012 Developing Aboriginal Cooperatives and Consortiums LSUC-OBA Aboriginal Economic Development
September 17, 2012 Download FilePublic Private Partnerships: Construction Law Certificate Course The Osgoode Certificate in Construction Law, Osgoode Hall Law School
November 2011 Download FilePresentation of the Sustainability of GBEs – Why Projects Succeed and Fail Ryerson University's Advanced Management and Governance in GBEs – Leadership Series
October 2011Reflections and Observations on The Public Image of Lawyers Law Society of Upper Canada's Sixth Annual Solo and Small Firm Export
June 2011Effective Communication With Your Board Canadian Corporate Counsel Association
April 2011A Renewable Energy Strategy for Canada Moderator, Canadian Solar Industries Association Solar Conference 2009
December 2009Domestic Content: Protectionism or the Wave of the Future Moderator, Canadian Solar Industries Association Solar Conference 2009
December 2009Effectively Structuring and Managing Design Build Projects Presented at the 19th Annual Construction SuperConference, The Canadian Institute
November 25, 2009The Power of Story in Social Change Presentation: 2009 Maytree Leadership Conference
October 2009Engaging and Negotiating with Aboriginal Communities Presentation: Canadian Institute
September 2009Realizing the Potential Presentation: EUCI's Distributed Generation Using Renewable Energy Conference
September 2009Public Opinion and the Policy Environment: What's Coming? Presentation: 2009 Annual Conference, Ontario Energy Association
September 2009Infrastructure Funding, P3s and Port Projects Presentation to ACPA Port Government Interface in Ottawa, May 11, 2009
May 2009Accountability and Political Decision-Making Presentation: Yale University
January 2009Alternative Construction Delivery Methods With Jody K. Becker for the Ontario Bar Association: Hot Topics in Construction Law for the Commercial Solicitor - Continuing Legal Education
November 2008An Overview of the City of Toronto Lobbyist Registry and How it Applies to You and Your Client Presentation to the LSUC Municipal Law Conference
March 2008Teaching Engagements
- Adjunct professor at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law; JD and LLM courses in the Law and Policy of Public-Private Partnerships
News
Media Mentions
- “Hiring a non-lawyer manager for your firm?” by Caroliynne Burkholder-James, CBA National, June 22, 2021
- “Legal Notes: Crosstown LRT partners entitled to claim relief due to COVID ‘emergency’“, by John Bleasby, Daily Commercial News/Construct Connect, June 7, 2021
- “Public affairs group sees flood of clients to navigate government-led mobilization against COVID-19”, Canadian Lawyer, April 8, 2020
- “Liberal pharmacare plan has steep legal obstacles, say lawyers“, Canadian Lawyer, May 21, 2019
- BNN, the law show, weekly on Business Day PM
- “Separating hope from hype: Assessing the Myanmar opportunity“, The Economist Corporate Network Asia, September 2013
- Regular commentator on public policy on CBC’s Power and Politics
- Occasional contributor to Global and CTV
Rankings & Recognition
- Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2023 as a leader in Government Contracts
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2024) as a leading lawyer in the area of Energy Law and Project Finance Law
- Recognized in the 2023 Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Infrastructure Lawyers as an Infrastructure Lawyer
- Recognized in the 2023 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Most Frequently Recommended Lawyer in the area of Infrastructure Law and a Repeatedly Recommended Lawyer in the area of Project Finance
- Recognized by Chambers Global (2023) as a leading lawyer in the area of Projects: PPP & Infrastructure
- Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Global 2022 as a leader in Government Contracts
- Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2022 as a leader in Government Contracts
- Recognized by Chambers Canada (2023) as a leading lawyer in the area of Projects: PPP & Infrastructure
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2023) as a leading lawyer in the areas of Energy Law and Project Finance Law
- Recognized in the 2022 Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Infrastructure Lawyers as an Infrastructure Lawyer
- Recognized in the 2022 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory as a Most Frequently Recommended Lawyer in the area of Infrastructure Law; a Consistently Recommended Lawyer in the area of Project Finance
- Recognized by Chambers Global (2022) as a leading lawyer in the area of Projects: PPP & Infrastructure
- Recognized by Chambers Canada (2022) as a leading lawyer in the area of Projects: PPP & Infrastructure
- Recognized by Best Lawyers in Canada (2022) as a leading lawyer in the areas of Energy Law and Project Finance Law
- Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Global 2021 as a leader in Government Contracts
- Listed in Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2021 as a leader in Government Contracts
- Recognized in the 2021 Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Energy Lawyers as a Leading Energy Lawyer
- Recognized in the 2021 Lexpert Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Infrastructure Lawyers as a Infrastructure Lawyer
- Best Lawyers in Canada 2021 as a leader in Energy Law
- Who’s Who Legal: Canada 2021 as a leader in Government Contracts
- Chambers Global 2021 as a leader in Projects: PPP & Infrastructure
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2021 “Leading Lawyer” in Indigenous Law, Construction Law, Infrastructure Law and Project Finance
- Lexpert’s Special Edition on Canada’s Leading Infrastructure Lawyers 2020
Community Involvement
- Member, Board of Directors, Ontario Stroke Network
- Member, Board of Directors, Legal Aid Ontario
- Member, GTA Advisory Board, Canadian National Institute for the Blind
- Former Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada
- Former Chief of Staff to the Finance Minister of Canada
- Former Member of Provincial Parliament, Ontario
Directorships & Affiliations
- Chair, Board of Directors, Toronto City Housing Corporation, 2019 –
- Trustee, Morguard Real Estate Investment Trust, 2020 –
- Board of Directors and Chair, Human Resources, Compensation and Pension Committee, Morguard Corporation, 2006 – 2020
- Board of Directors, Legal Aid Ontario, 2009 – 2018
- Board of Directors, Soulpepper Theatre, 2014 –
- Member, GTA Advisory Board, Canadian National Institute for the Blind
- Registered advisor and PPP Expert on the United Nations
- Managing Director, McMillan Vantage Public Affairs LP, 2016 –
Education & Admissions
1989
Called to the Ontario bar
2007
LLMYork University
1987
LLBUniversity of Toronto
1982
BAQueen's University
Publications
- “Canadian politicians need to focus on economic growth, not ideological divisions,” Toronto Star (September 16, 2022)
- “Crosslinx v. Ontario Infrastructure : Turns out the Pandemic is an Emergency…“, co-author with Julie Han, Jason Annibale and Ahsan Mirza, Canadian College of Construction Legal Update, pp 14-19 (November 8, 2021)
- “Crosslinx v. Ontario Infrastructure : Turns out the Pandemic is an Emergency…” Lexology (May 2021)
- “Canada’s Infrastructure Bank: An Opportunity to Step Up and Rebuild Canada’s Post-Pandemic Economy,” McMillan Vantage (May 6, 2020)
- “COVID-19: “Essential” Information About the Consequences of Continuing to Operate a “Non-Essential Business” in Ontario and Québec,” Lexology (March 2020)
- “COVID 19 – Government Relief Efforts To Date,” Lexology (March 2020)
- “Coronavirus – A Preparedness and Response Guide for Canadian Businesses,” Lexology (March 2020)
- “Public-Private Partnerships in Canada: Law, Policy and Value for Money,” LexisNexis Canada (May, 2019)
- “Inconvenient Termination: The Financial Impact of Terminating Public-Private Partnership (“P3”) Projects,” Lexology (June 2018)
- “The Tides of Change,” Lexpert (December 2016)
- “A ‘duty to consult’ aboriginals is no excuse to delay project approvals,” Financial Post (November 2016)
- “Navigating C-45: Changes to a federal water act may open the gates to water infrastructure,” Water Canada (February 2013)
- “What can we expect with changes to the Navigable Waters Act?,” Water Canada Volume 13, Number 1 (January 2013)
- “6th Construction Financing Course,” Managing Risk & Mastering Due Diligence (January 2011)
- “Construction Law in Canada,” Co-author, LexisNexis (May 2010)
- “4th Construction Financing Course,” Presentation, Financing Challenges for P3s (January 2010)
- “Financing Challenges for P3s After the Credit Crisis,” Paper, 4th Construction Financing Course (January 2010)
- “Toronto lawyers unveil design-build project guide,” Daily Commercial News and Construction Record (December 2009)
- “Are Canadians Better Served by Majority or Minority Government?,” (November 30, 2009)
- “Structuring and Managing Construction Risks in Public Private Partnerships,” Paper (November 2008)
- “Changes to the Federal Lobbyists Registration Act,” Public Policy and Government Relations Bulletin (June 2008)
- “The case for public-private partnerships in infrastructure,” Canadian Public Administration Volume 51, No. 1 PP. 99-126 (March 2008)
- “City of Toronto Lobbyist Registry Comes into Effect,” Law Society of Upper Canada Municipal Law Conference, Public Policy and Government Relations Bulletin (February 2008)
- “OSFI Ruling Creates New Opportunities for Foreign-Based Monoline Insurers,” Projects Bulletin (November 2007)
- “What Paul Martin can teach Gordon Brown,” The Globe & Mail (May 2007)
- “Calgary Ring Road PPP Reaches Financial Close,” Projects Bulletin (March 2007)
- “Municipal P3s: The challenge of building a municipal constituency,” Article www.renewcanada.net (February 2007)
- “Noble Ambition,” The Walrus Magazine – December/January 2007 Issue (January 2007)
Insights (15 Posts)View More
Indigenous Law Update: What the B.C. Natural Resource Sector Should Know About “Non-Treaty” Agreements
This bulletin discusses non-treaty agreements with indigenous groups in British Columbia.
Read More
Aug 22, 2023
McMillan’s ESG Strategy Sessions
The COVID-19 pandemic and increased concerns over environmental and social issues, such as climate change and systemic racism, have prompted conversations throughout global capital markets.
Details
Thursday, October 28, 2021
Crosslinx v. Ontario Infrastructure: Turns out the Pandemic is an Emergency…
The public sector’s hardline view of risk allocation in P3 contracts suffered a serious setback with the release of the Crosslinx decision.
Read More
May 25, 2021
COVID-19: “Essential” Information About the Consequences of Continuing to Operate a “Non-Essential Business” in Ontario and Québec
An outline of the potential consequences to continuing to operate a business ordered to close by the governments of Quebec and Ontario.
Read More
Mar 25, 2020
Coronavirus – A Preparedness and Response Guide for Canadian Businesses
What steps should corporations take to mitigate the risks posed by COVID-19 to the health and safety of their workforce and contractual obligations.
Read More
Mar 9, 2020
Book Launch Event | Public-Private Partnerships in Canada: Law, Policy and Value for Money
Tim Murphy will discuss his journey and key moments throughout the writing process. The event will feature special guest Hon. Monte McNaughton, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure.
Details
June 19, 2019 - 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm EST
Surtax! What To Do Now
On July 1, 2018, Canada imposed surtaxes on steel, aluminum, as well as certain consumer and other products from the United States.
Read More
Jul 6, 2018
Inconvenient Termination: The Financial Impact of Terminating Public-Private Partnership (“P3”) Projects
The enormous success of the P3 model in delivering on time and on budget public infrastructure[1] can see troubled waters when new Governments arrive
Read More
Jun 12, 2018
Tit for Tat
Canada Responds to U.S. Duties on Steel and Aluminium - In response to the American announcement of the imposition of duties on Canadian steel and aluminum
Read More
Jun 1, 2018
An update on aboriginal law and best practices for the C-suite
The session will focus on practical issues and questions commonly faced by senior managers and executives in the development, sale, acquisition and financing of major projects.
Details
February 2, 2017 - 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM
FinTech Forum: Innovation, Regulation or Both
At the FinTech Forum, experts from across the financial services spectrum will come together to analyze key challenges and opportunities to develop a roadmap forward.
A Thunderbolt Decision on Métis Rights:Daniels v Canada (Indian Affairs and Northern Development)[1]
A Thunderbolt Decision on Métis Rights: Daniels v Canada (Indian Affairs and Northern Development)1
Read More
Apr 28, 2016
Final Report: Canada Transportation Act Review
Final Report: Canada Transportation Act Review
Read More
Mar 16, 2016
Ontario Announces Major Plans for the Ontario Electricity Market and Creates Infrastructure Opportunities
Ontario Announces Major Plans for the Ontario Electricity Market and Creates Infrastructure Opportunities
Read More
Apr 21, 2015
Alderville Solar Project Reaches Financial Close
Alderville Solar Project Reaches Financial Close
Read More
May 13, 2013
Deals & Cases (6 Posts)
Hurontario LRT
On October 21, 2019, the Mobilinx consortium reached financial close of the CAD$4.6 Billion DBFOM contract with Infrastructure Ontario (“IO”) and Metrolinx for the Hurontario Light Rail Transit (“LRT”) Project in Ontario.
Read More
Oct 21, 2019
Ottawa’s Trillium Line South Extension
On March 29, 2019, the City of Ottawa and TransitNEXT reached financial close on the Stage 2 Trillium Line south extension, a key component of Ottawa’s C$2.366 billion Stage 2 LRT project.
Read More
Mar 29, 2019
Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road
On February 13, 2019, Finance Minister Robert C. McLeod announced that North Star Infrastructure GP had reached financial close on the Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road in the Northwest Territories.
Read More
Feb 1, 2019
Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation closes financing on $1.2 billion Highway 407 East Phase 2 Project
Ontario Infrastructure and Lands Corporation closes financing on $1.2 billion Highway 407 East Phase 2 Project
Read More
Mar 10, 2015
Alderville Solar Project Reaches Financial Close
On May 13, 2013, the Alderville First Nation (AFN) reached Financial Close for construction of the first 100% First Nation owned solar farm in Ontario.
Read More
May 13, 2013
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