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David McFadden is a partner in Gowlings' Toronto office, Chair of the Firm's International group, a member of the Firm's Board of Trustees, Chair of Gowlings’ International Management Committee and of the Gowlings International Strategic Advisory Group (GISAG). David has extensive international experience, whether it be for clients investing or operating in Canada, Canadian clients investing or operating internationally or international clients abroad, particularly in the energy, infrastructure, financial services and aerospace industries.
GISAG was formed to provide a strategic and business complement to the Firm's already impressive legal capabilities, advising clients at the highest level on their international business needs. The group provides advisory services in the areas of corporate and business strategy, industry and organizational restructuring, government relations and lobbying, government restructuring and regulatory regime development, regulatory affairs, public policy strategy development, financing, international financial regulation, corporate governance and security advice, and planning and risk management. Working seamlessly with other Gowlings professionals, David and other members of GISAG help clients to manage risk and extract value in high-stakes international deals or multi-country expansions.
David acts for corporations, municipalities and utilities involved in the generation, distribution, marketing, transmission and financing of energy. He also acts for clients involved in infrastructure development, management and renewal. He has acted as counsel in a variety of infrastructure projects including toll highways and tunnels, light rail systems and health care facilities. 
David has played a key role in a number of initiatives relating to the power industry. He served as Chair of the Stakeholders Alliance for Electricity Competition and Customer Choice, a broad coalition of business and energy-related organizations including the Association of Major Power Consumers, Association of Exporters and Manufacturers, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Electricity Distributors Association of Ontario, the Ontario Energy Association and the Association of Power Producers of Ontario.
David was appointed by the Government of Canada to serve as a member of the Electric System Working Group, which was part of the Joint Canada-U.S. Task Force established to investigate the power blackout that hit Ontario and much of the northeastern United States in August 2003. The final report of the Task Force, issued in April 2004, set out a blueprint to enhance the reliability of the North American electricity grid. The Energy Policy Act, passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Bush, enacted many of the recommendations of the Task Force.
In June 2003, David was appointed to the Ontario Government’s Electricity Conservation and Supply Task Force. The Task Force, which issued its final report in January 2004, provided a comprehensive strategy to meet the future energy demands of the province which has formed the basis of the Ontario current energy policy.
David was appointed by the Government of Jamaica to co-lead an investigation into the July 15th, 2006 blackout which cut off electricity supply to the entire Island. The report on the investigation submitted in December 2006 provides a blueprint for the enhancement of the reliability of Jamaica’s power system.
David is a member of the Smart Grid Forum of the Independent Electricity System Operator. The Forum, comprised of senior executives in the electricity sector, investigated the issues and opportunities arising from the development of a smart grid in Ontario and issued its report on the implementation of a smart grid in February 2009. The recommendations of the Forum have been adopted by the Ontario Government and embodied in the Green Energy Act introduced in the Legislative in late February.
David currently serves as a director of Collus Power Corp. and the Energy Council of Canada.
David has been involved in the development and/or management of a number of infrastructure organizations and projects.
He serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors of 407 International Inc. which operates and manages highway 407, the world's leading electronic toll highway. Previously, he served for six years as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Detroit-Canada Tunnel Corporation.
David is also Vice Chair of the Board of Directors of Macquarie Canadian Infrastructure Management Limited, which, through its infrastructure funds, has invested in road, power and water entities in both Canada and the United States.
David serves as Chair of the Advisory Boards of LPF Infrastructure Fund, OE Infrastructure Fund, TCPP Infrastructure Fund and Fengate Greenfield Infrastructure Fund, which have invested in hospitals, court houses, detention facilities and power generation.
David has served as a member of the board of directors of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships since 2001 and chairs the Council's Communications Committee.
David has been an active advocate on enhancing Canadian infrastructure for many years. As Chair of the Board of Directors of the Toronto Board of Trade 1999-2000, he took a leading role in the Board's advocacy program on the need for infrastructure renewal and development in the Greater Toronto Area and was instrumental in creating the Board's Infrastructure Task Force.
David was appointed by Toronto City Council to the Board of Toronto Economic Development Corporation in 2002 and served as a director and a member of the Executive Committee of TEDCO until 2008.
David served as a member of the Strategic Advisory Committee of Metrolinx, the Ontario Government's agency responsible for implementing the $50 billion urban transportation plan for the Greater Toronto Area.
David served as the founding President of the Canada-US Business Association from 1988 to 1993. With the implementation of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement, he was appointed by the Government of Canada in 1989 to serve as a Canadian representative in the dispute settlement process established under the Agreement and was re-appointed to that role in 1992.
David was Chair of the International Trade Committee of the Toronto Board of Trade from 1993-1996 and was responsible for the Toronto Board’s assumption of the World’s Trade Centre franchise in Toronto.
David has served on the Boards of Directors of corporations originating from a number of countries including the United States, Britain, Italy, Germany, Russia and China.
David became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc. (“OCE Inc.”) in 2004 when OCE Inc. has assumed the management and operation of Ontario’s Centres of Excellence. Prior to becoming chair of OCE Inc., David was chair of the Ontario Government’s Advisory Committee on the Centres of Excellence from 2000 to 2004. Under David's leadership, OCE Inc. launched the new Centre of Excellence for Energy in 2005.
David served as a member of the Ontario Research and Innovation Council from 2006 to 2008. As mandated by the Premier, the Council developed and submitted a long-term innovation strategy for the Province of Ontario.
David is the Chair of the Board of Directors of PCI Geomatics Inc., Canada's leading geomatics developer and provider. |
