Nikolas Blanchette

Nikolas has successfully represented his clients before the courts in numerous high profile cases, including:

• CISSS intégré de la Montérégie-Ouest v. Montoni Groupe Pacific inc, 2023 QCCQ 9298
• Syndicat des copropriétaires de Gillette Lofts v. 9165-2115 Québec Inc, 2022 QCCS 4000
• Capmatic Ltd. v. American Brands, 2019 QCCA 1150
• Laval (Ville) v. Les Associés du Nord 2006 Inc, 2019 (QC TAQ)
• Lorraine (Ville) v. 2646-8926 Québec Inc. 2018 SCC 35
• Maison du développement durable v. Ville de Montréal, 2018 QCCS 2307
• Québec (Procureur général) v. Cour du Québec, 2016 QCCS 4620
• Québec (Procureur général) v. Pièces d'autos de Montréal-Nord Inc, 2015 QCCQ 319
• Ciné-Parc St-Eustache Inc. v. Saint-Eustache (Ville), 2015 (QC TAQ)
• Équipement SMS v. Borgne, 2013 QCCS 7128
• P.G.Q./ Ministre des Transports v. Korzinstone, 2012 (QC TAQ)

Other representations include acting for:

• Groupe Mathers in the exercise of a right of first refusal resulting in a $68 million real estate transaction, paving the way for a prominent mixed-use development.
• Montoni Groupe Pacific in a multimillion-dollar expropriation case against the government concerning the new hospital in Vaudreuil-Dorion.
• Groupe Mathers in the context of a $72 million real estate transaction to develop an industrial complex on Montreal’s North Shore.
• Groupe Mathers in the sale of its St-Eustache operations to Lafarge Canada, Canada's leading supplier of sustainable building materials.
• Aldo Construction with regards to risk management and the approval process for a $300 million, four-phase project of high-density residential towers in Montreal.
• Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited in a complex REM-related expropriation matter involving one of Canada’s main shopping centers located in Montréal.
• Eco Lachine in the acquisition of a acre parcel of land in Lachine, enabling a multi-phase development of over 2,000 housing unit (billion dollar project).
• Cadillac Fairview Corporation Limited and Ivanhoe Cambridge Inc. in a complex expropriation matter involving a prominent Montreal shopping centre.
• Aldo Construction in the acquisition of land in Valleyfield for the development of over 1,000 housing units.
• Broccolini concerning various REM expropriations.
• Metro/Jean Coutu in an expropriation matter in relation to the extension of the blue line near Boulevard shopping center.
• Aldo Construction in a $66.3 million settlement after 30 days of trial against the City of Laval in the largest claim filed against the city in its history.
• American Brands S.A. as part of a claim for reimbursement of the sale price and damages for latent defects affecting a system for filling and capping bottles of bleach.
• La Corporation McKesson Canada in obtaining an order to evict a tenant in a dispute between La Corporation McKesson Canada and Pharmacie Patrick Bélanger (de l’Ormière).
• La Chancellerie Bonsecours in defending their interests during the course of a dispute with 9340-4358 Québec.
• Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec in defended their interests in arbitration proceedings with 9281-4185 Québec inc.
• Les Entreprises Sapiar Ltée in defending their interests in an expropriation proceeding.
• XTL Transport in defending their interests in a dispute with Hydro-Québec regarding the acquisition of a servitude for passage of a power line.
• Pièces d’autos de Montréal-Nord inc. in defending their interests against the Attorney General of Quebec and the Metropolitan Transport Agency (AMT) in an expropriation proceeding.
• Rogers Communications at the Supreme Court for Rogers Communications in its dispute against the City of Châteauguay, that had prevented it from erecting a tower in a location previously authorized by the federal Minister of Industry.

Nikolas is the author of over thirty publications, several of which have been cited by the courts. Some of ‎his most recent publications include:‎

• The expropriation process: Protecting your interests and defending your rights, September 20, 2021.
• Comment on Hydro-Québec v. Matta, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais, June 1, 2021.
• Comment on St-Pierre v. Thibault, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais, February 1, 2021.
• Le recours en expropriation déguisée en droit québécois : où en sommes-nous?, Droit-Inc, January 20, 2021.
• The Disguised Expropriation Remedy under Québec Law: Where Do We Stand?, Recent Development in Expropriation Law, Barreau du Québec, October 29, 2020.
• Appeals of TAQ Decisions to the Court of Québec Following Vavilov: A New Beginning? Recent Development in Expropriation Law, Barreau du Québec, October 29, 2020.
• Memorandum presented at the National Assembly of Quebec, Consultations particulières de la Commission des finances publiques de l'Assemblée nationale sur le PL66, October 27, 2020.
• COVID-19: Two Recent Superior Court Decisions Consider the Effects of the Pandemic on Lease Obligations in Québec, July 24, 2020.
• Comment on Syndicat des copropriétaires Les Résidences Mont-Royal v. Soltron Realty GP inc., Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais, November 26, 2019.
• Expropriation of lands planned for development, Recent Development in Expropriation Law (2019), Barreau du Québec, p.1-32, October 1, 2019.
• Introduction to Expropriation Law, Recent Development in Expropriation Law (2019), Éditions Yvons Blais, Barreau du Québec, p.33-48, October 1, 2019.
• Comment on Capmatic Ltd. v. American Brands, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais, September 6, 2019.
• Comment on Simard v. Ville de Baie-Saint-Paul, Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais, June 12, 2019.
• Bref survol du droit québécois de l'expropriation, Droit immobilier En bref, No. 73, May 29, 2019.
• Comment on Missisquoi v. Aviva Canada inc., Repères, Éditions Yvon Blais, May 14, 2019.

• Expropriation – Everything You need to Know, November 10, 2021.
• Négociateur et plaideur : deux visions de la cause de défaut dans un bail, Strategic Days on Commercial Leasing organized by Open Forum Ouvert HS, November 10, 2020.
• Appel d'une décision du TAQ devant la Cour du Québec à l'aune de l'arrêt Vavilov: un nouveau départ?,  Second Conference in Expropriation Law organized by Barreau du Québec, October 29, 2020.
• Le recours en expropriation déguisée en droit québécois : où en sommes-nous ? Second Conference in Expropriation Law organized by Barreau du Québec, October 29, 2020.
• La question environnementale en situation de bail commercial, Commercial Lease Conference organized by Édition Yvon Blais, Quebec City, October 22, 2019.
• Presidency of the First Conference in Expropriation Law Organized by Barreau du Québec, October 18, 2019.
• Conférence sur l’expropriation de terrains destinés à un développement immobilier, as part of the Expropriation Law Conference organized by Barreau du Québec, October 18, 2019.
• Conférence sur l’introduction au droit de l’expropriation, Introduction part of the Expropriation Law Conference organized by Barreau du Québec, October 18, 2019.
• La question environnementale en situation de bail commercial, Commercial Lease, Conference organized by Édition Yvon Blais, Montreal, October 8, 2019.
• Droit des contrats et le nouveau visage de la Cour suprême du Canada : certains concepts clés revus et repensés, May 8, 2019.
• Surmonter les problématiques environnementales en situation de bail commercial Baux Commerciaux - Open Forum Ouvert, May 6, 2019

• "Reform of the Expropriation Act: Major drawbacks remain in place, say opponents", La Presse, ‎November 24, 2023‎
• ‎"Lawsuit against the CMM: Quebec may have to break out the checkbook"‎, La Presse, November 4, 2023
• ‎"An 'unprecedented' attack on property rights", La Presse, October 31, 2023
• ‎“Projet de 300 M$ dans une impasse” ‎La Presse, November 21, 2021
• ‎“Poursuite de 67 M$ : les parties s’entendent” ("$67 million lawsuit: parties reach agreement")‎, Courrier Laval, March 17, 2020
• ‎“Lorraine (Ville) v. 2646-8926 Québec inc.”, Lexpert Magazine, October 1, 2018
• “SCC rules landowner waited too long to challenge bylaw but has right to seek damages”, The Canadian Lawyer, July 6, 2018

Nikolas has been cited by the Quebec Courts as a reference in real estate and contract law, notably in the ‎following ‎decisions‎:  ‎

• Dowd v. Binette, 2021 QCCA, par. 36 (Quebec Court of Appeal)
• Société en commandite Place Saint-Alexandre v. Ville de Saguenay, 2022 QCCS 363, par. 22 (Superior Court)
• Cushman & Wakefield v. Miller, 2022 QCCS 1879, par. 38 (Superior Court)
• David v. Procureur général du Québec, 2021 QCCS 1238, par. 21 (Superior Court)
• Cankul v. Lavoie, 2021 QCCS 2380, par. 43 (Superior Court)
• ONP Consulting Services v. Simply Voting Inc, 2021 QCCS 1369, par. 12 (Superior Court)
• 9247-9724 Québec inc (Groupe Gagnon) v. Centre de services partagées du Québec, 2019 QCCS 3728, par. 52 (Superior Court)
• Entreprise Réjean Goyette v. Ville de Terrebonne, 2023 QCCQ 431, par. 33 (Court of Québec on appeal)
• Corporation immobilière Tenor inc. v. Ville de Terrebonne, 2023 QCCQ 502, par. 61 (Court of Québec on appeal)