Administrative and Constitutional Law
Our expertise
Woods routinely acts for and advise businesses and professionals who more than ever need the support of experienced lawyers to navigate through the ever-increasing number of regulatory standards and government intervention in multiple fields of activity. Our firm is a prominent force in public law and administrative law, acting before all instances (common law courts and administrative tribunals, disciplinary councils) and in pre-decisional or investigation contexts (federal, provincial, and municipal governmental authorities; professional orders).
Our clients call upon us for complex issues, particularly regarding securities and financial services, energy and natural resources, telecommunications, the environment, transportation, constitutional and municipal law, professional law, and competition. We assist them in resolving issues that can have significant commercial and personal repercussions. Our lawyers bring their public law experience and innovative and creative arguments to bear to the service of our clients, who also benefit from our mastery of advocacy techniques.
Representative Work
Attorney General of Québec v. Imperial Tobacco Ltd, et al., Superior Court of Quebec, file no. 500‐17‐072363‐123
Acting for Philip Morris USA Inc. and Philip Morris International Inc. in the defense of a $60B claim brought by the province of Québec against tobacco manufacturers pursuant to the Tobacco‐Related Damages and Health Care Costs Recovery Act.
TELUS Communications Inc. v. Federation of Canadian Municipalities et al, 2023 FCA79
Represented a group of regional wireless carriers in upholding a CRTC decision that required national wireless carriers to provide wholesale roaming services to them in a transparent manner.
9363-9888 Québec inc. v. Régie du bâtiment du Québec, 2023 QCTAT 484
Representation of a company operating in sanitary services and hydro-excavation in order to preserve its contractor’s licence, while the Régie du bâtiment sought to suspend it due to an alleged continuity with the company whose assets our client had acquired.
BCE inc., Bell Canada, Bell ExpressVu Inc. and Bell ExpressVu Limited Partnership v. Québecor Média inc. and Groupe TVA Inc., Federal Court of Appeal No. A-22-20
Acting for Québecor Media Inc. in a judicial review application filed by Bell to overturn a CRTC decision.
Energir and Association des consommateurs industriels de gaz (ACIG), 2022 CanLII 102415
Representation of Énergir, s.e.c. before the Régie de l’énergie for the purposes of an application relating to the fixing of rates of return and capital structures.
Telus Communications Inc. v. Vidéotron Ltée, 2021 CF 1127>
Acting for Videotron in defence of an application for judicial review filed by TELUS and Bell before the Federal Court challenging Videotron Ltd.’s eligibility of $830M worth of spectrum licences awarded to Videotron following a spectrum auction held by the Minister of Industry.
Hydro-Québec and Association coopérative d’économie familiale de Québec (ACEFQ), et al, 2019 CanLII 75614 (QC RDE) (file no: R-4045-2018)
Represented the intervener Vogogo, a public company that operated two major sites in Quebec for cryptocurrency mining activities, in connection with an application to fix Hydro Quebec’s (distribution) rates and conditions of service for subscriptions considered to be for cryptographic use applied to blockchain.
Groupe TVA Inc. and Québecor Média Inc. v Bell Canada, Bell ExpressVu Limited Partnership et BCE Inc., Federal Court of Appeal No. A-289-19 (2021)
Acted for Québecor Media Inc. and TVA Group before the Federal Court of Appeal to have specific CRTC regulatory provisions revoked.
BCE Inc., Bell Canada, Bell ExpressVu Inc. and Bell ExpressVu Limited Partnership v. Québecor Média Inc. and Groupe TVA Inc., Federal Court of Appeal No. 20-A-6 (2020)
Obtained the dismissal of an application for leave to appeal filed by Bell seeking to set aside a CRTC decision on behalf of Québecor Media Inc.
Avis de recherche incorporée v. Québécor Média inc., for Vidéotron s.e.n.c., Federal Court of Appel No. 16-A-13 (2016)
Challenged successfully an application for leave to appeal a CTRC decision on behalf of Videotron.
Québec (Attorney General) v. Air Canada, 2015 QCCA 1789
Acted successfully for the interests of the Attorney General of Manitoba in this lawsuit launched against Air Canada further to the shutting down of Aveos’s aircraft maintenance center in Montreal.
Genivar Inc. and Dessau Inc. v. Québec (A.G.), 2011 QCCS 3802
Successfully acted for the Genivar-Dessau consortium before the Superior Court and the Court of Appeal in challenging a decision of the Québec Ministry of Transport (MTQ) rejecting our clients’ submission in the context of a call for tenders relating to important construction project.
Quebecor Inc. v. Société Radio-Canada, 2011 QCCA 387
Acted successfully for Quebecor before the Court of Appeal for the recusal of the trial judge by proving a reasonable apprehension of bias.
Vollant v. Sioui, 2006 FC 487
Obtained the cancellation of two flying resolutions adopted by our client’s band council.
Vidéotron v. Netstar Communications Inc., Federal Court of Appeal No. A-64-03, 02-A-24, (2004)
Acted for Vidéotron before the Federal Court of Appeal, successfully persuading the Court to reject a stay of a decision favourable to our client rendered by the CRTC and refusing the appellant’s request for leave to appeal.
