Matthew has extensive experience advising on all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including the acquisition, disposition, financing and leasing (landlord and tenant) of industrial, office, retail, hospitality, long-term care, development and mixed-use properties. He also advises on insolvency and restructuring transactions since his call to the bar, and advises on the real estate components of mergers & acquisitions. Matthew started as an associate in Osler’s Real Estate Group in 2014, after completing his articles with Osler. During his articles, Matthew completed a secondment to Royal Bank of Canada’s Canadian Banking Group. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School’s Juris Doctor program, where he received the Dominic Carinci Memorial Prize for high academic standing in Business Associations and Real Estate Transactions.
Representative Work
- BAI Communications BAI Communications in the sale of its Canadian business to Rogers Communications
- TerraFarma TerraFarma in its up to $68 million acquisition by Aurora Cannabis
- Inkbox Ink Inkbox Ink in its US$65 million acquisition by BIC
- Spire Global Spire Global in its $204.2 million acquisition of exactEarth
- The Legault Group Mondou in its acquisition of Ren’s Pets
- Comark Holdings Inc. Comark completes sale transaction and emerges from creditor protection
- Uken Games Uken Games in the sale of Bingo Pop to Jam City
- Google in various Canadian office leasing transactions, including the long term lease of approximately 400,000 square feet at 65 King St. E. in Toronto, ON
- LaSalle College in the long term lease of 92,000 square feet to be used for its design college at Kaslo Plaza in Vancouver and 17,000 of related office space
- PRO REIT in various Canadian real estate purchase and sale transactions, including its strategic joint venture with Crestpoint for 42 industrial properties, where PRO REIT and Crestpoint each purchased a 50% interest in 21 industrial properties for a total of $228M and PRO REIT sold a 50% interest in 21 of its industrial properties with a total value of $227 million, for a purchase price of $113.5 million and amendment of existing mortgages of $129 million and a 50% interest in a new mortgage of $148 million
- Oak Street Real Estate Capital in its acquisition of four commercial properties in Alberta and Ontario from H&R REIT for $167 million and mortgage of $89 million secured against three of those commercial properties
- A private real estate investor in its sale of three Loblaws distribution centres for $230.4 million and in its sale of a portfolio of Sobeys retail stores throughout Canada for $209 million
- Dream Industrial in various industrial warehouse leases and the sale of three U.S. properties to a U.S. joint venture in which Dream Industrial has an interest
- KingSett Capital in various office and retail leases, including Bloor St. leases to Gucci, Royal De Versailles and LaFayette 148
- EssilorLuxottica Canada in retail leases for its LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, RayBan and Pearlevision stores
- Clearco, Drop, Xanadu Quantum Technologies, Deep Genomics, Borrowell, LUS Brands, Inkbox Ink and other emerging and high growth companies in their Canadian office and industrial leasing and merger & acquisition transactions
- United Stars Industries in its 15 year lease of a 170,000 square foot industrial property in southwestern Ontario for manufacturing of precision engineered metal components
- Apollo in the real estate components of its purchase of the shares of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, including assumption of all Canadian leases and re-financing of its Canadian real estate portfolio
- Goldman Sachs in its Canadian office leasing transactions
- RSM Canada LLP in its Canadian office leasing matters and merger and acquisition transactions
- Toyotoshi Auto Group in leasing matters at the 401 Pearson Auto Mall, including Honda, Toyota and Audi auto dealerships
- Jet Equipment & Tools in their 10 year lease of a 105,000 square foot industrial property in Guelph, ON and additional leasing, subleasing and merger & acquisition matters
- A private company in the sale of the Devil’s Pulpit and Devil’s Paintbrush golf courses in Caledon, ON
- RBC Dominion Securities in the underwriting of share offerings for several large Canadian REITs
- A private company in the sale of the Delta Markham Hotel for $28 million and the Holiday Inn Toronto-Mississauga for $15.25 million
- Smart REIT (formerly Calloway) in its $1.12 billion acquisition and financing of SmartCentres properties, including Wal-Mart anchored properties
- Chartwell in its acquisition of five assisted living facilities in Ontario for $254 million
Insolvency and Restructuring Transactions
- Stern Partners Inc. in its CCAA filing and restructuring of Ricki’s, Cleo and Bootlegger brands, including renegotiating over 300 retail leases
- Target in its CCAA filing and wind-down of Canadian operations
- Sears in its CCAA filing and wind-down of Canadian operations, including the sale of several retail portfolios and assignment of leases
- Forever 21 in its CCAA filing and wind-down of Canadian operations, including the assignment of valuable industrial leases
- Pier 1 Imports in its CCAA filing and wind-down of Canadian operations
- KPMG Inc. in its capacity of receiver in the sale of 2088 Lakeshore Road, Oakville, ON for $15 million
- Spire Global Spire Global in its $204.2 million acquisition of exactEarth
- The Legault Group Mondou in its acquisition of Ren’s Pets
- Comark Holdings Inc. Comark completes sale transaction and emerges from creditor protection
- Uken Games Uken Games in the sale of Bingo Pop to Jam City
- Google in various Canadian office leasing transactions, including the long term lease of approximately 400,000 square feet at 65 King St. E. in Toronto, ON
- LaSalle College in the long term lease of 92,000 square feet to be used for its design college at Kaslo Plaza in Vancouver and 17,000 of related office space
- PRO REIT in various Canadian real estate purchase and sale transactions, including its strategic joint venture with Crestpoint for 42 industrial properties, where PRO REIT and Crestpoint each purchased a 50% interest in 21 industrial properties for a total of $228M and PRO REIT sold a 50% interest in 21 of its industrial properties with a total value of $227 million, for a purchase price of $113.5 million and amendment of existing mortgages of $129 million and a 50% interest in a new mortgage of $148 million
- Oak Street Real Estate Capital in its acquisition of four commercial properties in Alberta and Ontario from H&R REIT for $167 million and mortgage of $89 million secured against three of those commercial properties
- A private real estate investor in its sale of three Loblaws distribution centres for $230.4 million and in its sale of a portfolio of Sobeys retail stores throughout Canada for $209 million
- Dream Industrial in various industrial warehouse leases and the sale of three U.S. properties to a U.S. joint venture in which Dream Industrial has an interest
- KingSett Capital in various office and retail leases, including Bloor St. leases to Gucci, Royal De Versailles and LaFayette 148
- EssilorLuxottica Canada in retail leases for its LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, RayBan and Pearlevision stores
- Clearco, Drop, Xanadu Quantum Technologies, Deep Genomics, Borrowell, LUS Brands, Inkbox Ink and other emerging and high growth companies in their Canadian office and industrial leasing and merger & acquisition transactions
- United Stars Industries in its 15 year lease of a 170,000 square foot industrial property in southwestern Ontario for manufacturing of precision engineered metal components
- Apollo in the real estate components of its purchase of the shares of Great Canadian Gaming Corporation, including assumption of all Canadian leases and re-financing of its Canadian real estate portfolio
- Goldman Sachs in its Canadian office leasing transactions
- RSM Canada LLP in its Canadian office leasing matters and merger and acquisition transactions
- Toyotoshi Auto Group in leasing matters at the 401 Pearson Auto Mall, including Honda, Toyota and Audi auto dealerships
- Jet Equipment & Tools in their 10 year lease of a 105,000 square foot industrial property in Guelph, ON and additional leasing, subleasing and merger & acquisition matters
- A private company in the sale of the Devil’s Pulpit and Devil’s Paintbrush golf courses in Caledon, ON
- RBC Dominion Securities in the underwriting of share offerings for several large Canadian REITs
- A private company in the sale of the Delta Markham Hotel for $28 million and the Holiday Inn Toronto-Mississauga for $15.25 million
- Smart REIT (formerly Calloway) in its $1.12 billion acquisition and financing of SmartCentres properties, including Wal-Mart anchored properties
- Chartwell in its acquisition of five assisted living facilities in Ontario for $254 million
Insolvency and Restructuring Transactions
- Stern Partners Inc. in its CCAA filing and restructuring of Ricki’s, Cleo and Bootlegger brands, including renegotiating over 300 retail leases
- Target in its CCAA filing and wind-down of Canadian operations
- Sears in its CCAA filing and wind-down of Canadian operations, including the sale of several retail portfolios and assignment of leases
- Forever 21 in its CCAA filing and wind-down of Canadian operations, including the assignment of valuable industrial leases
- Pier 1 Imports in its CCAA filing and wind-down of Canadian operations
- KPMG Inc. in its capacity of receiver in the sale of 2088 Lakeshore Road, Oakville, ON for $15 million
Latest Insights
-
Webinar Feb 28, 2024
Osler and Alvarez & Marsal: Real estate issues in an insolvency
Learn about issues likely to be encountered in an insolvency, with insights learned through experience from experts in Osler’s insolvency and...
Read more -
Webinar Oct 12, 2017
EHG 101 series: Understanding and negotiating commercial insurance and leases with guest: Danish Yusuf
Paul Morassutti and Matthew Ritchie from Osler's Real Estate team, along with Danish Yusuf, the Co-Founder & CEO of Zensurance deliver an...
Read more
Awards and Recognition
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Dominic Carinci Memorial Prize, 2013
Media Mentions
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Osler News Feb 16, 2023
Osler welcomes 10 new partners and two new counsel in 2023
Osler is proud to announce the addition of 10 new partners and two new counsel across four of our offices, effective March 1, 2023.
Read more -
Osler News May 20, 2022
Osler advises on ‘Deal of the Year: Strategic Acquisition’ winner at M&A Awards Gala Québec 2022
Congratulations to Isabelle Lemay of the Legault Group for receiving the “Deal of the Year: Strategic Acquisition” award at the M&A Awards...
Read more
Community Involvement
- Osgoode Business Law Society, Treasurer
- Toronto Crown Attorney’s Office, Research Assistant
Speaking and Writing
Speaking Engagements
EHG 101 series: Understanding and negotiating commercial insurance and leases with guest: Danish Yusuf
Read moreOsler and Alvarez & Marsal: Real estate issues in an insolvency
Speaker, Toronto, February 28, 2024
Commercial Insurance and Negotiating Leases for Start-ups 101
Speaker, October 12, 2017
Credentials
Education
- Osgoode Hall Law School, J.D.
- University of Windsor, B.Comm.
Languages
- English