LESA’s upcoming Municipal Law program will be hosted in Edmonton and livestreamed throughout the province. This program is chaired by experienced municipal law lawyer, Gwendolyn Stewart-Palmer KC of Shores Jardine LLP and will cover several topics including planning (development permits and appeals), expropriation, Indigenous land and municipal issues, taxes, encumbrances on title, and land related claims.
Gwendolyn has been practicing in the area of municipal law for thirty out of her thirty-five years of practice. She began her career in England practicing as a litigation solicitor at a large London firm. After returning from London, she began working as a government lawyer in Edmonton. She realized that she enjoyed municipal work and expanded her practice to include planning and development. Gwendolyn is currently a partner at Shores Jardine LLP and her practice extends to every area of municipal law.
Gwendolyn enjoys the intellectual challenge and complexity of municipal law. When asked what motivates her in her work, Gwendolyn notes:
“I love the intellectual challenges of the work I do. There are often very complex problems that need to be resolved. Plus, the people I work with, both at Shores Jardine as well as my clients, are a great group of people making it easy to love what I do.”
Outside of work, Gwendolyn is happiest when her hands are busy crafting, cooking, and baking.
Gwendolyn and the presenters for LESA’s Municipal Law have put together a program that will address current developments in municipal law. For instance, municipalities may be experiencing more interaction with their First Nations neighbours. Two presenters, Brooke Barrett of Rae & Company and Kathleen-Elhatton-Lake from Shores Jardine, will discuss the duty to consult and the role of municipalities. Michael Gunther from the City of Edmonton will speak on planning and development, including the potential impact on real estate practitioners. Paul Barrette from Prowse & Chowne will speak on expropriation, a timely discussion as there are many municipal projects popping up across the province. Carol Zukiwski, from Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer, will speak on assessment issues (a topic that is always relevant, especially since assessment season is upon us with the obligation to pay property taxes not too far behind). Colleen Sinclair from the City of Calgary will speak of the various claims she has seen advanced against municipalities. Gwendolyn will speak to municipally-related encumbrances that practitioners might see put against titles, and strategies for how to deal with them.
Many thanks to our faculty for this program. LESA’s Municipal Law will be hosted on March 16, 2023 as an in-person program in Edmonton as well as livestreamed throughout the province. To register for the in-person session in Edmonton, click here. To register for the online livestream format, click here.
We look forward to exploring these topics further and to seeing you there!
