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Overview

Craig Garbe is a seasoned corporate and commercial lawyer with a focus on transactions related to commercial real estate. He acts for a number of investment funds, real estate investment trusts, lenders and institutional investors on the largest and most complex acquisitions, dispositions, co-ownerships, financings, joint ventures and development projects in the country.

Craig is ranked and recognized by Chambers and Partners Canada, and is a leading lawyer repeatedly recommended in the Lexpert Canadian Legal Directory.  Craig is frequently called upon to speak to the commercial real estate community, including at Toronto's annual LandPro real estate and development conference and at other industry events, and he is a regular publisher and contributor to industry platforms and forums. 

Craig has been recognized numerous times in connection with his representation of the owners or financiers of many of Canada's landmark properties, including Toronto's Scotia Plaza, the Royal Bank Plaza, Brookfield Place, the Bay Adelaide Centre, Vancouver's Telus Garden, First Canadian Place, and the Aura Tower (Canada's tallest residential development).  He acts regularly for buyers, sellers, and developers of significant residential, commercial, and industrial properties, and has specialized expertise in the acquisition, financing, and development of hotel and resort properties, shopping malls, industrial and logistics hubs and infrastructure projects.

Craig's client-focused approach brings a practical perspective to all types of joint venture developments and partnerships, with an emphasis on creating holding structures that balance both risks and opportunities, and Craig's years of experience dealing with complex title issues allow him to give pointed and pragmatic advice on any number of real property related matters. He assists clients in structuring innovative and efficient financing transactions (including mezzanine and participating debt structures), in organizing development projects and in creating the agreements that govern complicated mixed-use projects and condominium properties.

Craig is also an experienced casino and gaming regulatory lawyer, and has assisted clients across the country in negotiating the long-term operating agreements that govern their commercial casino gaming operations.  Recently, he has acted for clients in connection with iGaming Ontario's privatization of online gaming in Ontario, and he has acted for a number of clients in connection with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's Modernizing Land Based Gaming initiative which transformed the operation of physical casinos across Ontario.  He regularly addresses complex gaming regulatory matters for clients from coast to coast, including in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.

In addition to Craig's experience with financing, acquiring, and selling real property, he also counsels clients in respect of complex land transfer tax and structuring issues, regularly acts for both landlords and tenants in commercial leasing matters and works with both lending and borrowing clients to complete significant offerings of commercial mortgage bonds.

Craig is a member of the Ontario Bar Association, the Canadian Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

 

Client Work

Advising and representing Ports Toronto in all manner of real property and development related matters including in respect to the development and operations of the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
Advising and representing Ports Toronto in the development and operation of the Toronto harbours, ports and waterways
Advising and representing Ports Toronto in the development and operation of other properties and lands owned/managed by Ports Toronto, including the new Ookwemin Minising Island
Advising and representing Ports Toronto in relation to land use and development including municipal zoning matters
Pontegadea, the family office of Spanish billionaire and Zara founder Amancio Ortega, in the US$916-million purchase of the iconic Royal Bank Plaza in Toronto, which houses the headquarters of Royal Bank of Canada, from Oxford Properties Group and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
KingSett in the sale of its 100% interest in the first three floors of the Aura Tower, located at 388 Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, to the Ikea group of companies.

Recognitions & Awards

Chambers Canada

Real Estate - Ontario

The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory

Repeatedly Recommended, Property Development

Education & Bar Admissions

Education

  • University of Waterloo, BA (Hons), 2008
  • Osgoode Hall Law School, JD, 2011

Bar Admissions

  • Ontario, 2012

Insights

The Hotel Management Agreement What Why and HowBlog

The Hotel Management Agreement: What, Why and How?

March 6, 2025
Craig R. R. GarbeShahrose Javed
Craig R. R. Garbe & Shahrose Javed
Real Estate Earnouts The Risks and Rewards of Density BonusesBlog

(Real) Estate Earnouts: The Risks and Rewards of Density Bonuses

September 18, 2024
Craig R. R. GarbeAndrew L. Jeanrie
Craig R. R. Garbe & Andrew L. Jeanrie
But Its Just An Option Option Risks And The Tale Of Horn v XylemBlog

But It's "Just" An Option! Option Risks And The Tale Of Horn v. Xylem

November 15, 2023
Craig R. R. GarbeDana TalucciJane C. Helmstadter
Craig R. R. Garbe, Dana Talucci & Jane C. Helmstadter

News, Events & Speaking Engagements

PlaceholderSpeaking Engagement

The Eight-Minute Real Estate Lawyer 2024

November 19, 2024
Simon P. CrawfordCraig R. R. Garbe
Simon P. Crawford & Craig R. R. Garbe
PlaceholderAnnouncement

Bennett Jones Top Ranked in Chambers Canada 2025

September 26, 2024
Aaron E. SonshineAbbas Ali KhanAdam Kalbfleisch
& 93 more
PlaceholderSpeaking Engagement

Craig Garbe on Law Panel at LandPRO 2024

April 2, 2024
Craig R. R. Garbe
Craig R. R. Garbe