Bird Jane

Education

Queen's University, BA, 1982  Dalhousie University, LLB, 1986  Institute of Corporate Directors, ICD.D, 2006 

Bar Admissions

British Columbia, 1987 (non-practising)

Jane Bird

Senior Business Advisor

T: 604.891.5156 / E: birdja@bennettjones.com

Vancouver


Jane Bird provides advice to private and public sector clients on the development and execution of infrastructure projects. Jane has 20 years of experience leading significant projects in the transportation, power, building and wastewater sectors. These include the development and construction of the Canada Line, a $2-billion, 19-km public private partnership rapid transit line connecting downtown Vancouver with Richmond and Vancouver International Airport; the construction of the Waneta Expansion Project, a $900-million hydroelectric generating station in southeastern British Columbia; and the renewal of Canada House in London, U.K.

As a result of her leadership, Jane received the National Outstanding Leader Award from the Women’s Infrastructure Network (2017). She was also awarded the Vancouver Board of Trade Spirit of Vancouver Outstanding Leadership Award (2009), named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women (2009) and awarded the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association Appreciation Award (2011).

Jane chairs the board of Nieuport Aviation, an investment of the Infrastructure Investment Fund, a NY infrastructure fund. She is also on the board of the Canada Infrastructure Bank.  In June of this year, after 16 years, she stepped down from the Board of GCT Global Container Terminals Inc.  Jane has been a board member of Crown, public and private companies since 2007, including Western Forest Products Inc., IBI Group Inc. and BC Ferries.

Recent Recognitions

  • The Legal 500 Canada
    Recommended, Infrastructure and Projects
  • Women's Infrastructure Network
    Winner, National Outstanding Leader Award

Recent Insights, News & Events

  • Bennett Jones Advises on $44 Billion Worth of Projects Featured in 2025 Top100 Infrastructure Projects Report
    Announcements / January 28, 2025
    Bennett Jones has advised on nine of the top 100 projects featured in the 2025 Top100 Infrastructure Projects Report, published by ReNew Canada. These nine projects collectively represent over $44 billion in infrastructure development.
  • Bennett Jones Ranks Silver in 2024 Top100 Infrastructure Projects
    Announcements / February 15, 2024
    Bennett Jones ranks silver in the 2024 Top100 Infrastructure Project Report, published by ReNew Canada.
  • 2024 Economic Outlook: The Long-Term Is Now
    Updates / December 11, 2023
    The global and Canadian economies are still adjusting to the shocks of COVID and war. Inflation remains elevated, and monetary conditions are restrictive. There are legacies, in particular high public and private debt. Concurrently, the forces of demographic ageing, climate change, and digitalization are intensifying in a new fragmented world, transforming our economies, and requiring more public and private investment. These two factors—short-term adjustment and structural change—set the background for our 2024 Economic Outlook.
  • Economic Outlook: Playing the Long Game
    Updates / June 12, 2023
    For the last three years, governments, businesses and workers have confronted a series of shocks and disruptions that have tested their agility and resilience. The pandemic, the war in Ukraine, supply chain constraints, swings in commodity prices, and higher inflation and interest rates, have demanded swift responses and adjustment. There are aftershocks, uncertainty and risk, and still a need to adapt. Navigating turbulent times remains a key function of policy and business planning. Yet, given forces shaping the world of tomorrow, it matters even more how governments and businesses plan to invest, innovate and create the conditions for sustainable growth over the longer term. This Economic Outlook entitled Playing the Long Game reviews recent developments and short-term prospects, sets out a baseline scenario and risks to assist business planning and describes some of the context for the longer term and key tasks ahead for Canadian governments and firms.
  • Bennett Jones Nominated in 2021 Chambers Law Awards
    Announcements / July 12, 2021
    Bennett Jones is nominated in the following four categories in the 2021 Chambers Law Awards: Healthcare Law Firm of the Year, Real Estate Law Firm of the Year, Corporate Lawyer of the Year, Real Estate Lawyer of the Year.
  • Why Major Infrastructure Projects Succeed
    Blog / December 16, 2019
    Jane Bird delivered the afternoon keynote at the Toronto Region Board of Trade's 5th Annual Transportation Summit. She spoke about the characteristics of a successful major infrastructure project and [...]
  • Jane Bird on Delivering Mega Projects in Toronto
    Speaking Engagements / November 27, 2019
    Jane Bird will deliver the afternoon keynote at the Toronto Region Board of Trade's 5th Annual Transportation Summit.  
  • Global Economic Outlook Vancouver Board of Trade
    Speaking Engagements / November 22, 2017
    David Dodge and Jane Bird speak at the Vancouver Board of Trade on "Global Economic Outlook". 
  • Jane Bird Named to Inaugural Board of Canadian Infrastructure Bank
    Announcements / November 17, 2017
    Bennett Jones congratulates Jane Bird on being named to the inaugural Board of Directors for the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Ten talented and experienced professionals were appointed to the board. The announcement was made in Ottawa by the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.
  • Jane Bird Named to Board of Canada Infrastructure Bank
    In The News / November 16, 2017
    Jane Bird has named as one of the ten board members of the new Canada Infrastructure Bank. The Globe and Mail reported that the federal government made the announcement today. Jane was CEO of Canada Line Rapid Transit Inc., responsible for the development and construction of Canada Line, a $2-billion, 19-km, P3 rapid transit line connecting downtown Vancouver with Richmond and Vancouver International Airport.
  • Jane Bird on Canada's New Infrastructure Frontier
    In The News / November 07, 2017
    Jane Bird’s comments at the Canadian Council of Public Private Partnership’s 25th annual P3 conference appear in Daily Commercial News. Jane was on a panel that discussed the Canada Infrastructure Bank. She said it’s very positive the Canadian government is taking the experience of the last 25 years to move to a more sophisticated financial structure in the P3 arena. As a country, "It's an opportunity to up our game."
  • Jane Bird on Public Transportation Infrastructure
    In The News / September 06, 2017
    Jane Bird appeared on Conversations That Matter for a one-on-one interview on public transportation in Greater Vancouver and how to plan, build and finance it. Jane spoke about the need for vision, leadership, deep public engagement and buy-in when planning major transportation projects. She also stressed that the costs and benefits need to be seen as fair, including for user pay and tolls. Jane shared her experiences as CEO of Canada Line Rapid Transit Inc., responsible for the development and construction of the $2-billion, 19-km Canada Line—the first PPP in transit in North America.
  • Jane Bird WIN's Outstanding Leader for 2017
    Announcements / April 27, 2017
    Jane Bird won the Outstanding Leader award at the 2017 national Women's Infrastructure Network (WIN) awards event in Toronto on April 26, 2017. Events took place in six cities across Canada. The award is for female professionals who shape the world through their work in the infrastructure industry, and are trailblazers for women in the infrastructure sector. The annual WIN awards aim to celebrate excellence in Canada's infrastructure sector and further support WIN's mission to recognize women as leaders in the field. More on WIN is available at https://www.womensinfrastructure.ca/.
  • Award Winning Women of Bennett Jones
    Announcements / November 10, 2016
    Seven of Bennett Jones' extremely talented and accomplished women lawyers have recently been honoured with leadership awards and high-profile features in the media.
  • David Dodge and Jane Bird in National Post on Canadian Infrastructure Bank
    In The News / November 03, 2016
    David Dodge and Jane Bird's insights on the establishment of a Canadian Infrastructure Bank are covered in the National Post: "Senior advisors at Toronto law firm Bennett Jones LLP said the government has signaled it would be receptive to unsolicited bids for infrastructure projects, which represents a new opportunity for players experienced in project development. “We think the energy transmission, water, wastewater, and transportation fields are well-suited to this initiative,” David Dodge, former Governor of the Bank of Canada, wrote in a note to clients with senior business advisor Jane Bird."
  • Minister of Finance Commits to Establish a Canadian Infrastructure Bank
    Blog / November 01, 2016
    In his fall economic statement on November 1, Mr. Morneau, the federal Minister of Finance, committed the federal government to deliver an additional $81 billion between 2017 and 2027 to fund public infrastructure [...]
  • Jane Bird Profiled in BCBusiness
    In The News / October 25, 2016
    Jane Bird is profiled in a BCBusiness column that looks at her experience as an infrastructure guru who has worked on massive projects in Vancouver, British Columbia and abroad. Jane is described as having a "reputation for tackling some of the most significant infrastructure projects in the province" and a "reputation for projects on budget and on time." Infrastructure Guru Jane Bird on Lessons Learned from Canada Line
  • Jane Bird on Victoria's Wastewater Treatment Project
    In The News / July 20, 2016
    Jane Bird, who is Chair of the Capital Regional District's Core Area Wastewater Project Board for Greater Victoria, comments on the status of the initiative in the Victoria News. The Board is currently working through thousands of documents and is tasked with providing a plan on where a sewage treatment facility should be constructed.
  • Jane Bird in Times Colonist: New Chair of CRD Project Board
    In The News / June 10, 2016
    The Victoria Times Colonist reports on Jane Bird being named Chair of the Capital Regional District's (CRD) Core Area Wastewater Project Board. The seven person board will oversee the development of a sewage treatment plan for the CRD including location selection. The CRD presently does not treat its sewage and this is a large-scale infrastructure project for the region. More on the Project Board is available here.
  • National Post on Jane Bird Joining Bennett Jones
    In The News / March 08, 2016
    The National Post covers Jane Bird joining Bennett Jones in the firm's Vancouver office. Jane is the former CEO of Canada Line Rapid Transit Inc. and former President and CEO of Columbia Power Corp. She brings a stellar track record of success in leading high profile infrastructure projects.
  • Jane Bird Joins Bennett Jones' Vancouver Office as Senior Business Advisor
    Announcements / March 02, 2016
    Bennett Jones is pleased to announce that public-private infrastructure leader Jane Bird has joined the firm as a Senior Business Advisor. She will be based in the Vancouver office.