Background
Christine Long is a partner in our Toronto office. Christine was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1997. She graduated from Windsor Law School in 1995. Christine obtained a B.A. in Administrative and Commercial Studies in 1991 and a Diploma in Honours Standing in Political Science in 1992 from the University of Western Ontario.
Areas of Practice
· Member of the Corporate Commercial Group.
· Energy Markets with an emphasis on regulatory matters.
Professional Experience
Representative Work
· Counsel to corporations and utilities on regulatory and corporate issues.
· Provides commercial and regulatory advice to solar, wind and other energy developers.
· Negotiates energy supply contracts, connection agreements, metering and service agreements.
· Provides advice to clients on issues pertaining to the IESO Market Rules including connection, participation and compliance issues.
· Provides advice in relation to the Ontario Feed-In Tariff ("FIT") program to developers and distributors.
· Advises clients making application to the Ontario Energy Board ("OEB") on licensing requirements, service area amendment applications, rate applications, and various other regulatory matters.
· Represents clients in Leave to Construct Applications before the OEB for the construction of transmission lines and transmission facilities.
· Advises clients with respect to National Energy Board requirements for the exporting of electricity.
Representative Transactions
· Acted for Abitibi-Consolidated Inc. in the sale of eight Ontario hydro-generation facilities to ACH Limited Partnership. The transaction on a consolidated basis yielded proceeds of $297.5 million to Abitibi-Consolidated.
· Acted for Powerstream Inc. in the amalgamation of Powerstream Inc. and Barrie Hydro Distribution Inc. in order to form the second largest municipally owned distribution company in Ontario with combined assets of $800 million.
· Provided regulatory advice to Brampton Hydro in the $260 million acquisition of it by Hydro One Networks Inc.
· Acted for Chatham-Kent Energy in the acquisition of Middlesex Power Distribution Corporation.
· Acted as regulatory counsel to the deal in the amalgamation of Hamilton Hydro Inc. and St. Catharines Hydro in order to form the third largest municipally owned distribution company in Ontario.
· Negotiated a long-term Energy Services Agreement for a major Canadian Bank.
· Acted for an institutional lender in the $100 million financing of four hydro-electric projects.
· Negotiated two multi-year Service Agreements for a major utility.
· Provided Ontario regulatory advice to a foreign investor in its acquisition of a portfolio of generation projects.
· Represented a wind developer in a Leave to Construct hearing for the construction of an electricity transmission line.
· Represented a pipeline transportation company in its successful exemption application from the requirement to obtain Leave to Construct for a gas pipeline relocation.
· Acted for Veridian Connections Inc. in the acquisition of Gravenhurst Hydro Electric Inc. and Scugog Hydro Energy Corporation.
· Acted for ERTH Corporation in the acquisition of Clinton Power Corporation and West Perth Power Inc.
· Acted for the Town of Aurora in the $35 million sale of Aurora Hydro Connections Limited to Powerstream Inc.
Representative Development Projects
· Thorold Cogeneration Project (236.4 MW)
· Kruger Energy Port Alma Wind Farm (101.2 MW) (Leave to Construct)
· London Cogeneration Facility (12 MW)
· Durham College District Energy (2.3 MW)
In-House Secondment
Between mid-December 2000 and May 31, 2002, Christine was on secondment with the legal department of Ontario's Independent Electricity System Operator ("IESO"). In that role she acted in a variety of capacities including:
· Board of Directors in their consideration of market participant applications for exemptions from the IESO Market Rules.
· Technical Panel (a 12 member stakeholder Panel responsible for providing recommendations to the IESO Board on Market Rule amendments).
· Assisted with governance and structure issues affecting the IESO Board of Directors.
· Reviewed and amended various changes to the IESO Market Rules and Market Manuals.
· Consulted with the Ontario Government on the establishment of green labelling initiatives.
· Advised on issues related to reliability, liability and interjurisdictional trading.
· Reviewed commercial agreements.
· Handled minor litigations claims, real estate, commercial agreements, privacy and IT matters.
Professional and Community Activities
· Ontario Bar Association, Member of Council and Governance Standing Committee Member.
· Committee Member, Toronto YWCA Women of Distinction Awards (2009, 2010)
· Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Former Member of the Student Recruitment Committee (2010, 2011)
· Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Former Member of the Monitoring and Admissions Committee (2008-2010)
· Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, Member of Knowledge Council