Joseph C. Debono

Joseph C. Debono is a Partner in Dentons' Real Estate, Construction Law and Health Law Groups, based in Toronto. His practice focuses on Real Estate Law, specialising in real estate development and construction law.

Joe is also involved in various areas of law related generally to the acquisition, development and management of residential property (including residential tenancy matters). He is involved in a wide range of commercial real estate transactions, including railway transactions and other developments.

He represents a major distributor of electricity in respect of real property, construction and related matters, and has been involved in a number of real estate transactions involving the creation and operation of the electric distribution system, as well as pipelines and related facilities. Joe has represented a wide variety of developers, social housing organisations, hospitals, long-term care homes and other health care providers, builders, landlords, service providers, tenants and lenders.

His experience includes advising as Canadian lead external counsel to The Salvation Army in a wide range of matters, including real estate transactions, construction projects, funding and other arrangements with government, corporate governance and related matters, risk management, health and social service issues, residential tenancy matters and operational issues; advising as the lead Ontario Real Estate counsel for Canadian National Railway Company for many years and providing advice in respect of matters in other parts of Canada, including acquisitions, leases, easements, dispositions, construction, rail infrastructure development and a variety of other rail matters; advising GWL Realty Advisors Inc. in connection with a number of development projects, including projects in Halifax, Toronto and Ottawa; and advising Tyndale University College & Seminary in connection with the acquisition and subsequent development of its campus.

He holds an LLB from the University of Toronto (1986) and completed the Bachelor of Arts Program at the University of Toronto (1981–1983). He is recognised by Thomson Reuters as a Stand-out Lawyer and has prepared standard forms of tenancy agreements in use across Ontario for various associations.