Chris W. Sanderson, Q.C.
Partner
- Vancouver
- P: 604.631.9183
- F: 604.669.1620
- Tamera Scheer
- Legal Assistant
- P: 604.408.5361
Practices
Chris focuses on government relations and regulation in the energy and resource sectors throughout western Canada. He advises utilities, independent power producers, marketers, mine and energy project developers and governments.
Chris appears frequently before regulatory boards in energy and environmental matters in British Columbia, Alberta and the Northwest Territories. He represents clients in judicial proceedings arising in the regulatory context or, more generally, from the relationship between business and government heard by all levels of court in British Columbia and Alberta and in the federal court system including the Supreme Court of Canada. He has particular expertise in connection with all aspects of public utility law.
His recent experience includes a number of regulatory and judicial proceedings involving the extent of the Crown's obligation to consult First Nations. He was counsel to BC Hydro at all levels including the Supreme Court of Canada in Rio Tinto Alcan and BC Hydro v. Carrier Sekani Tribal Council, 2010 SCC 43.
Recognition and Ranking
- Chambers Global: recognized in the Energy: Power (Regulatory) (Canada) category
- Benchmark Canada: The Guide to Canada’s Leading Litigation Firms and Attorneys 2012: recognized for litigation in British Columbia
- 2011 Premier's Collaboration Award (NWT) for work on the Mackenzie Gas Project
- Martindale-Hubbell International Law Directory: BV Peer Review rated
- Lexpert Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada: recognized for energy (electricity) law
- Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory
- most frequently recognized as a Leading Practitioner for: energy (electricity) law
- consistently recognized as a Leading Practitioner for: energy (oil and gas) law
- Best Lawyers in Canada: recognized for energy regulatory law and natural resources law
- Best Lawyers: Energy Regulatory Law Lawyer of the Year in Vancouver for 2010
- International Who’s Who Legal: recognized for oil and gas law
- Who's Who Legal Canada 2011: recognized for oil and gas law
- 2011 Lexpert Zenith Award: recognized for Corporate and Law Firm Social Responsibility for his contributions to Family Services of Greater Vancouver
- 2010 Lexpert Zenith Award: recognized for Pro Bono contributions in the Civil Liberties category for his work with the BC Civil Liberties Association
Professional Activities
- Provided pro bono services in connection with public interest litigation (e.g., to the British Columbia Civil Liberties Association in Chamberlain v. Surrey School District No. 36 and in BC Teachers Federation v. Translink and BC Transit) including the Supreme Court of Canada in both cases
- “Regulatory Boards and Administrative Law Litigation” Federated Press, Member of Editorial Board
Community Activities
- Family Services of Greater Vancouver, Chair
- Kenneth Gordon School Foundation, Former Chair
- Society for the Education of Children with Specific Learning Disabilities, Former Chair
Bar Admissions
- British Columbia (1978)
- Alberta (1988)
- Northwest Territories (2001)
- Queen’s Counsel, British Columbia (2001)
Education
- University of British Columbia (B.A., 1972)
- University of British Columbia (LL.B., 1977)
Recent transactions include representing:
- The owner of a natural gas storage facility in connection with provincial and regulatory policy related to natural gas storage in B.C.
- An oil refinery in connection with various applications before the National Energy Board and the British Columbia Utilities Commission relating to crude oil and refined product shipment;
- A territorial government in connection with an application to construct the Mackenzie Gas Project and in constitutional litigation arising therefrom
- A territorial government in connection with an application to transfer regulatory jurisdiction over TransCanada Pipeline’s Alberta System from Alberta Utilities Commission to National Energy Board jurisdiction
- A Canadian energy marketer in connection with regulatory and civil class action proceedings arising out of the California Energy Crisis in 2000 and 2001
- A large electric utility seeking to upgrade its high voltage transmission system to serve significant new demand from the natural gas industry
- A large electric utility before the British Columbia Utilities Commission the BC Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada in connection with a contract for the purchase of $950 million worth of energy from an independent generator
- A large electric utility in connection with all regulatory and First Nation consultation aspects of acquiring an interest in a major hydro and electric generating facility
- A Canadian energy marketer in connection with all regulatory aspects of short and long term export sales
- The Canadian Entity under an international treaty in connection with a series of negotiations and transactions relating to energy entitlements created under the Columbia River Treaty
- An applicant for a licence from the National Energy Board to export LNG from the west coast of British Columbia
- The National Law Journal - Energy Report(October 25, 2011),Co-author
- (October 3, 2011)
- The Crown's Duty to Consult Aboriginal Peoples: Towards an Understanding of the Source, Purpose and Limits of the Duty,Alberta Law Review [pending](Fall 2011),Co-author with Keith B. Bergner and Michelle S. Jones
- (September 22, 2011)
- Regulatory Boards and Administrative Law Litigation Journal (Volume X1, No. 3) 2011, Co-author with Michelle Jones
- (May 18, 2011)
- The 2011 Lexpert®/ American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada ©Thomson Reuters Canada Limited(January 4, 2011),Author
- (November 15, 2010),Interview
- (October 29, 2010)
- (October 5, 2010)
- (October 4, 2010),Co-author
- (March 22, 2010)
- "The 1964 Columbia River Treaty and its Implementation",Transboundary River Governance in the Face of Uncertainty: The Columbia River Treaty (Corvallis: Oregon State University Press) [forthcoming].
- (July 15, 2009)
- "Administrative Law Reform in British Columbia: Balancing Harmonization Versus Autonomy and Tackling the Standard of Review",VI Regulatory Boards and Administrative Law Litigation Journal 1(2003),Co-author with Jude Samson
- "2002 in Review: Recent Canadian Regulatory Developments Affecting Natural Gas Pipelines",(Paper presented at the 7th Annual North American Pipelines Conference, Calgary, Alberta, 19 March 2002) [unpublished]
- (March 19, 2002)
- “Collateral Attack of Administrative Orders Outside of the Penal Context”,Regulatory Boards and Administrative Law Litigation,Vol. V, No. 2(2002),Co-author with Marko Vesely
- “Reciprocity as a Condition Precedent to Canada-U.S. Trade in Electricity”,The Journal of Energy and Natural Resources Law,Vol. 13, No. 1(Spring 1995),Author
- “Energy and the Environment: A Study of Alternative Fact Finding Processes. Case Study I: Electricity Export, the Burrard Thermal Generating Plant, and Air Quality in the Lower Fraser Basin”(1994),Co-author with Paul G. Bradley
- “The Columbia River Treaty” CLE International, International Energy Exchange(September 1993)
- “The Role of the Public Hearing in Determining Political and Factual Issues Related to Resource Development”,Canadian Journal of Administrative Law & Practice,Vol. 1, No. 2(January 1988)
- “A Comment” Public Disposition of Natural Resources(April 12 -15, 1983)
- “Where does Canada’s National Interest Lie: A Quantitative Appraisal” The MacKenzie Valley Pipeline: Arctic Gas and Canadian Energy Policy; Peter H. Pearse, ed. Toronto(1974),Co-author with John Helliwell, Peter H. Pearse, & Anthony Scott
- "Realizing British Columbia’s Natural Gas Future",BC Chamber Energy Summit(November 18, 2011),Speaker
- "First Nation Consultation",3rd Annual Northeast BC Natural Gas Summit, Insight Information, Calgary, AB(September 20-21, 2011),Co-chair and Speaker
- "The Duty to Consult with First Nations in the Administrative Law Context",Pacific Business & Law Institute(March 11, 2011),Speaker
- (September 29, 2010),Co-Chair
- (September 30, 2009),Speaker
