Robert D. Howe

First Year of Call
1995 Ontario

Areas of Practice
Municipal Law

Description
Robert Howe is a partner in the Municipal and Land Development Group at Goodmans. His practice focuses on land use planning and public infrastructure matters for private and public sector clients.

Rob has a wide range of experience in land use planning matters, appearing regularly before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (formerly Ontario Municipal Board), the Ontario Court of Justice, and before municipal councils. He has represented both landowners and municipalities regarding development proposals throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) that include major residential and mixed-use greenfield development, as well as large industrial and retail developments. He has also been involved in significant hearings regarding municipal official plans engaging topics that include environmental feature protection, cultural heritage conservation, Growth Plan policy and land budget/urban area expansions.

In addition to dealing with land use planning regulation and approvals, Rob has developed a specialty in servicing and financial matters related to land development, including the negotiation and drafting of complex agreements between landowners and municipalities regarding the provision and funding of municipal infrastructure, and landowner cost-sharing agreements. Rob also routinely represents landowners regarding development charge by-laws at the municipal level and in appeals before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal and Superior Court.

Rob’s public sector experience also includes working with the City of Toronto’s Legal Services Division early in his career.

Rob is recognized as a leading lawyer by The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, Chambers Canada and Best Lawyers in Canada. He is also featured in the Lexpert Special Edition: Infrastructure.