Sean Foran

Partner*

Toronto
416.947.5019

Sean Foran

Experience

Practice Areas

* Partner through a professional corporation

Sean Foran is a leading expropriation lawyer, with extensive experience as counsel in large-scale infrastructure projects. Sean also practises real-estate, business, employment and government litigation.

Sean regularly appears before various boards and tribunals, before all levels of court up to the Ontario Court of Appeal, and as an advocate in commercial arbitrations. Sean is Past President and a current Director of the Ontario Expropriation Association. He has written and delivered papers for conferences and seminars on various topics, including expropriation and employment law. Sean is also an instructor at The Advocates’ Society.

Sean also practises in the area of employment law, including wrongful dismissal, employment standards, Canada Labour Code arbitrations, occupational health and safety, contract and policy drafting.

Notable Mandates

Acted for:

  • Ontario municipalities in large-scale infrastructure projects involving the expropriation of multiple properties;
  • for multiple landowners in expropriation of their properties for transit infrastructure projects (Eglinton Crosstown; Union-Pearson Express);
  • Hydro One in the expropriation of multiple properties for the Bruce-Milton transmission line
  • the Ontario Ministry of Transportation on expropriation matters arising out of the construction of major highways (often);
  • one of the largest agricultural marketing boards in Canada on many issues, including constitutional and trade challenges;
  • the landowner in proceedings arising out of Ontario’s biggest tire fire;
  • defendants in occupational health and safety prosecutions, including the successful defence to charges arising out of a workplace fatality.

Reported Cases

Rossman v. Canadian Solar Inc., 2019 ONCA 992

Friday Harbour Resorts v 2135746 Ontario Inc., 2017 ONSC 7444 (Ont.S.C.)

CAMS Atlas, LLC v Stang, 2017 ONSC 6170 (Ont.S.C.)

CAMS Atlas, LLC v Stang, 2017 ONSC 6553

Automotive Plaza (Hwy. 7 & Bowes Rd.) Ltd. v York (Municipality) (2016), 3 L.C.R. (2d) 203 (OMB)

Spanter Developments Inc. v. Markham (City) (2012), 110 L.C.R. 77 (OMB)

Brampton (City) v. Sidhu (2012), 107 L.C.R. 33 (OMB)

Antrim v. Ontario (Ministry of Transportation) (2009), 96 L.C.R. 100 (OMB)

Antrim Truck Centres Ltd. v. Ontario (Minister of Transportation) (2008), 95 L.C.R. 229 (OMB)

Antrim Truck Centre Ltd. v. Ontario (Minister of Transportation) (2008), 94 L.C.R. 240 (OMB)

Penney v. Penney (2006), 153 A.C.W.S. (3d) 305 (Ont. Sup. Ct. J.)

Cunningham v. Front of Yonge (Township) (2004), 72 O.R. (3d) 721, 245 D.L.R. (4th) 460, 5M.P.L.R. (4th) 15 (C.A.)

Dowdell (Trustee of) v. Rinzema (2004), 7 C.P.C. (6th) 315 (Ont. Sup. Ct. J.)

Cunningham v. Front of Yonge (Township) (2003), 5 M.P.L.R. (4th) 28 (Ont. Sup. Ct. J.)

565486 Ontario Inc. v. Tristone Properties Inc. (2001), 54 O.R. (3d) 689 (Sup. Ct. J.)

Inter‐Global Investments Inc. v. Tormina Markham Inc. (2000), 34 R.P.R. (3d) 107 (Ont. Sup. Ct.J.)

Hullmark Development Ltd. v. Ontario (Minister of Transportation) (2000), 70 L.C.R. 48 (OMB)

Wilson’s Truck Lines Ltd. v. IWA‐Canada, Local 700, [1999] L.V.I. 3009‐7, [1999] O.L.A.A. No.153, 55 C.L.A.S. 197 (Ont. Arbitration)

Deverell v. Anson, Hindon and Minden (Townships) (1998), 110 O.A.C. 372 (C.A.)

Imperial Oil Ltd. v. Ontario (Superintendent of Pensions) (1996), 15 C.C.P.B. 31 (Pension Commission)

Scharf v. Freure Homes Ltd. (1994), [1996] 1 C.T.C. 70D (Ont. Ct. J. (Gen. Div.))

Richmond Hill (Town) Zoning By‐law 448‐91 (re) (1994), 21 M.P.L.R. (2d) 86 (OMB)

Harnox Holdings Ltd. v. Canada Post Corporation (1993), 4 W.D.C.P. (2d) 281 (Ont. Ct. J. (Gen.Div.))

Albert Bloom Ltd. v. Intermetco Ltd. (1992), 8 O.R. (3d) 625 (Ct. J. (Gen. Div.))

Awards

  • Repeatedly recognized in Best Lawyers in Canada as a leading practitioner in Expropriation Law and Real Estate Law

Professional Activities

  • Past President and current Director, Ontario Expropriation Association
  • Advocacy Instructor, The Advocates’ Society
Called to the Bar
  • Ontario (1990)

Education
  • LL.M., University of Edinburgh, 1995
  • LL.B., University of Ottawa, 1988
  • B.A., Carleton University, 1985
Affiliations
  • Ontario Bar Association
  • Ontario Expropriation Association
  • The Advocates' Society

Community Involvement

Past Chair, MS Society, Toronto Chapter

Past Director, MS Society, Ontario Division

Past Director, St. Felix Centre, Toronto

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, WeirFoulds Employment and Labour Seminar - Fall Session, Toronto, ON, November 28, 2019
Speaker, “Acquiring Infrastructure Project Lands by Expropriation”, Current Issues in Municipal Infrastructure Projects, Municipal Infrastructure Forum, Kleinburg, ON, April 15, 2019
Speaker, WeirFoulds Employment and Labour Law Seminar - Spring Session, Toronto, ON, April 5, 2018
"Statutory Offers and Multiple Interests in Expropriated Lands", International Right of Way Association, 2017 Spring Education Seminar, Niagara Falls, May 12, 2017
"Restrictive Covenants in Employment Agreements", WeirFoulds, Toronto, ON, November 10, 2016
"Municipal Land Acquisition: Alternatives to Expropriation", Association of Municipalities Conference, Windsor, August 15, 2016
"Expropriations and Compensation", presentation to the Commercial Law Section of the Federal Department of Justice, Toronto, October 14, 2015
"Recent Developments in Expropriation Law", presentation to the Commercial Law Section of the Federal Department of Justice at conference on public private partnerships, Ottawa, October 8, 2013
Co-presenter, Legal and Regulatory Issues for Property Managers and Owners, Property Management Exposition & Conference, Toronto, November 28, 2012
Co-presenter, Springfest Toronto - Roundtable on Legal and Regulatory Issues for Property Managers and Owners, April 17, 2012.

Publications

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News

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In the Media

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