Bennett Jones
Craig Garbe is an experienced 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 some of the largest acquisitions, dispositions, co-ownerships, financings, joint ventures, and development projects in the country. Craig has been recognized numerous times in Lexpert magazine, including for his representation of one of the joint acquisition purchasers of the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, his role in acquisition and financing of the 68-storey Scotia Plaza in downtown Toronto, and his involvement in the $4.5-billion acquisition and plan of arrangement between H&R Real Estate Investment Trust, Primaris Retail Real Estate Investment Trust, KingSett Capital Inc., the Ontario Pension Board, and RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust.
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, in organizing development projects, and in creating the agreements that govern complicated mixed-use projects and condominium properties.
Craig is also an accomplished 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. Craig has acted for a number of proponents in Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's Modernizing Land Based Gaming initiative, and regularly addresses gaming regulatory matters for clients 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.