John has a broad-based corporate law practice including advising clients in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and the structuring of joint venture and shareholder arrangements. John’s clients include institutional investors such as Canadian pension plans and domestic and international private equity funds, as well as companies across various sectors.
The transactions on which he advises encompass a broad range by transaction type, size and industry focus. John’s practice also includes advising clients who are structuring and investing in private funds, as well as providing both Canadian and international clients with general corporate and commercial.
Representative Work
- OPTrust
OPTrust on several private equity investments, including investments into Dental Corporation of Canada and Globalvia Infrastructure
- Pattern Energy Group Inc.
Pattern Energy on its Canadian M&A and project development activity, including on the formation of its strategic relationship with PSP Investments, and the financing and construction of various renewable energy projects including Henvey Inlet Wind Farm and the Meikle Wind Energy Project
- Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO)
Investment Management Corporation of Ontario on its investment in Cellnex Nordics, a leading Scandinavian tower operator, alongside its investment partner Stonepeak, on its co-majority share acquisition with EagleTree Capital, in Corsair from Francisco Partners valued at US$525 million, as well as on many other fund investments, co-investments and strategic relationships
- Kensington Capital Partners Limited
Kensington Capital Partners on the formation of Kensington Venture Fund, L.P., Kensington Venture Fund II, L.P. and Kensington Venture Fund III, L.P., funds of funds established pursuant to the Canadian federal government’s Venture Capital Action Plan and Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative, as well as certain other fund investments
- Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board in its investment in Duo Bank of Canada in connection with Duo Bank of Canada’s acquisition of Fairstone Financial Holdings Inc. and its investment in Anthem Entertainment
- Qualfon Data Services Group
Qualfon in its acquisition of Voxdata Solutions - Recursion
Recursion in its acquisitions of Valence Discovery and Cyclica - BAI Communications
BAI Communications in the sale of its Canadian business to Rogers Communications - Lattice Semiconductor
Lattice Semiconductor in its acquisition of Mirametrix Inc. - General Motors Investment Management Corporation
General Motors on multiple investments into private equity funds, venture capital funds and continuation vehicles - Investors led by BC Partners and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Investors led by BC Partners and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan in the $5.125 billion recapitalization of GFL Environmental Inc. - NATS (Services) Limited
NATS (Services) Limited in its acquisition of Searidge Technologies Inc. - Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation
Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation on a private equity fund investment - Tuckerman Holdings Management, LLC
Tuckerman Holdings on its acquisition of CPP Wind Engineering Consultants - Ontario Pension Board
Ontario Pension Board in the outsourcing of its investment management operations to a
$60 billion new investment management entity, the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) - Funds sponsored by MidOcean Partners on their Canadian M&A including the acquisition by its portfolio company Cloyes Gear & Products, Inc. of Rotomaster
Willis Towers Watson - Towers Watson (now Willis Towers Watson) on its acquisition of the assets of Brovada Technologies Inc.
- One of Canada’s largest pension investment managers
An institutional partner of Brookfield in connection with Brookfield Infrastructure’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Enercare Inc. - American Tire Distributors
American Tire on its Canadian M&A activities - Quad-C Management, Inc.
Quad-C Management on its investment in S.i. Systems - Deutsch Bank AG
Algoma Steel Inc. and certain senior secured term lenders in Canada in Algoma’s acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Essar Steel Algoma in connection to a restructuring under the CCAA - KingSett Capital and AIMCO on their acquisition of ING Summit Industrial Fund, Canada’s largest owner of light industrial property
- Robert Mandel, on his investment alongside ONCAP in Ingersoll Tillage Group
- Various international retailers on the corporate aspects of their entry into Canada
- Ryder Systems, Inc. on the acquisition of Westrich Holdings, a Canadian transportation provider
- National Tire Distributors Inc.
National Tire Distributors Inc. in its acquisition of Pneus Supérieurs Inc. - Various international retailers on the corporate aspects of their entry into Canada
- Various Canadian-based family offices on their private fund and related investments
OPTrust on several private equity investments, including investments into Dental Corporation of Canada and Globalvia Infrastructure
Pattern Energy on its Canadian M&A and project development activity, including on the formation of its strategic relationship with PSP Investments, and the financing and construction of various renewable energy projects including Henvey Inlet Wind Farm and the Meikle Wind Energy Project
Investment Management Corporation of Ontario on its investment in Cellnex Nordics, a leading Scandinavian tower operator, alongside its investment partner Stonepeak, on its co-majority share acquisition with EagleTree Capital, in Corsair from Francisco Partners valued at US$525 million, as well as on many other fund investments, co-investments and strategic relationships
Kensington Capital Partners on the formation of Kensington Venture Fund, L.P., Kensington Venture Fund II, L.P. and Kensington Venture Fund III, L.P., funds of funds established pursuant to the Canadian federal government’s Venture Capital Action Plan and Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative, as well as certain other fund investments
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board in its investment in Duo Bank of Canada in connection with Duo Bank of Canada’s acquisition of Fairstone Financial Holdings Inc. and its investment in Anthem Entertainment
- Qualfon Data Services Group
Qualfon in its acquisition of Voxdata Solutions - Recursion
Recursion in its acquisitions of Valence Discovery and Cyclica - BAI Communications
BAI Communications in the sale of its Canadian business to Rogers Communications - Lattice Semiconductor
Lattice Semiconductor in its acquisition of Mirametrix Inc. - General Motors Investment Management Corporation
General Motors on multiple investments into private equity funds, venture capital funds and continuation vehicles - Investors led by BC Partners and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Investors led by BC Partners and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan in the $5.125 billion recapitalization of GFL Environmental Inc. - NATS (Services) Limited
NATS (Services) Limited in its acquisition of Searidge Technologies Inc. - Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation
Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation on a private equity fund investment - Tuckerman Holdings Management, LLC
Tuckerman Holdings on its acquisition of CPP Wind Engineering Consultants - Ontario Pension Board
Ontario Pension Board in the outsourcing of its investment management operations to a
$60 billion new investment management entity, the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) - Funds sponsored by MidOcean Partners on their Canadian M&A including the acquisition by its portfolio company Cloyes Gear & Products, Inc. of Rotomaster
Willis Towers Watson - Towers Watson (now Willis Towers Watson) on its acquisition of the assets of Brovada Technologies Inc.
- One of Canada’s largest pension investment managers
An institutional partner of Brookfield in connection with Brookfield Infrastructure’s $4.3 billion acquisition of Enercare Inc. - American Tire Distributors
American Tire on its Canadian M&A activities - Quad-C Management, Inc.
Quad-C Management on its investment in S.i. Systems - Deutsch Bank AG
Algoma Steel Inc. and certain senior secured term lenders in Canada in Algoma’s acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Essar Steel Algoma in connection to a restructuring under the CCAA - KingSett Capital and AIMCO on their acquisition of ING Summit Industrial Fund, Canada’s largest owner of light industrial property
- Robert Mandel, on his investment alongside ONCAP in Ingersoll Tillage Group
- Various international retailers on the corporate aspects of their entry into Canada
- Ryder Systems, Inc. on the acquisition of Westrich Holdings, a Canadian transportation provider
- National Tire Distributors Inc.
National Tire Distributors Inc. in its acquisition of Pneus Supérieurs Inc. - Various international retailers on the corporate aspects of their entry into Canada
- Various Canadian-based family offices on their private fund and related investments
Latest Insights
-
Report Dec 5, 2024
The rise of retail: accessing private markets
Private asset investing is expected to evolve and grow in the coming years.
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-
Osler Update Dec 11, 2023
Private equity: developments in subscription line lending
In recent years, subscription line facilities have become a well-accepted tool used by private equity sponsors to manage their liquidity, reduce and...
Read more -
Osler Update Dec 13, 2019
Private equity continues to drive deal activity
The 2019 year-to-date activity levels in the Canadian private equity (PE) space are strong, exceeding 2018 levels for the same period. In this...
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Osler Update Dec 6, 2016
Co-investment rights in private equity funds: Here to stay
According to Preqin’s '2016 Preqin Global Private Equity & Venture Capital Report', the global amount of dry powder has now topped US$1.3...
Read more
Awards and Recognition
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Chambers Canada: Canada’s Leading Lawyers for Business: Recognized in Private Equity: Buyouts; Investment Funds
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Corporate Mid-Market; Corporate Commercial Law; Private Equity
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Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Corporate Law; Leveraged Buyouts and Private Equity Law; Private Funds Law
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Who’s Who Legal: Recognized in Private Funds (Canada)
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Who’s Who Legal: Selected as Leading Practitioner for Private Funds
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Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A, 2022 Recognized as a leading lawyer in Finance and M&A
Media Mentions
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Osler News Apr 20, 2022
23 Osler lawyers recognized by Lexpert as leaders in Finance and M&A
Lexpert Special Edition: Finance and M&A 2022 recognizes 23 Osler lawyers.
Read more -
Media Mentions Mar 17, 2017
OPTrust punches above its weight with private equity strategy — The PE Hub Network
Osler partner John Groenewegen says OPTrust’s strategy to expand its private equity program has “put them in a position they would not otherwise...
Read more
Credentials
Education
- Osgoode Hall Law School, LL.B.
- University of Western Ontario, B.A. (Honours) (Economics)
Languages
- English
Professional Affiliations
- Canadian Bar Association
- Canada’s Venture Capital & Private Equity Association
