Commercial Leasing

Daoust Vukovich LLP is recognized as a leading Canadian law firm in the field of commercial leasing and property management.

We act for landlords and tenants in preparing and negotiating routine and complex commercial leases and related documentation for retail, office and industrial premises. We provide expert legal advice on lease defaults, risk allocation, insolvency matters and the interpretation of all aspects of leases, including in relation to maintenance and repair obligations and operating cost/realty tax disputes. Developers seek out Daoust Vukovich LLP to assist in the lease-up of large-scale shopping centres and complex mixed-use commercial developments. With so many lawyers and law clerks devoted to the practice of commercial leasing, we have the bench strength to manage and complete large scale due diligence projects requiring the review and summary of commercial leases in connection with the purchase or sale of regional shopping centres, office buildings and all types of commercial properties.

Many of our lawyers and law clerks previously held in-house roles with major landlords and tenants. Commercial space users retain Daoust Vukovich LLP to practically and expeditiously pursue the finalization of their leases and lease-related documents, assisting to achieve the best results possible within tight deadlines. The result of deep experience, coupled with the entrepreneurial boutique law firm setting, is a successful combination of first-hand business savvy and strong skill sets.

Understanding our clients' businesses is our priority; we provide expert industry knowledge with a business-minded approach, to effectively and expeditiously achieve our clients' goals.

OUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE:

Commercial Landlord & Tenant Matters
Retail Leasing (enclosed centres, strip plazas and free-standing buildings)
Office Leasing
Industrial Leasing
Ground Leases
Strata/Commercial Condominium, Leases
Lease Interpretation including advising on special rights (exclusives, terminations, area calculations), operating cost/realty tax issues, risk allocations, maintenance and repair obligations.
Lease Defaults, Termination and Eviction

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Daoust Vukovich is pleased to announce recognition of seven lawyers selected in the 2024 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory, highlighting their ...

RealTea Episode 18: Dylan Armstrong - Tenant Inducements

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In this installment, Dylan Armstrong, "spills the tea" on tenant inducements.

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RealTea Episode 14: Natalie Vukovich - Subleasing

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RealTea Episode 13: Christine Shahverdian - Quiet Enjoyment

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In this installment, Christine Shahverdian "spills the tea" on quiet enjoyment.

RealTea Episode 12: Deborah Watkins - Rights to Extend or Renew a Lease

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In this installment, Deborah Watkins "spills the tea" on rights to extend or renew a lease.

RealTea Episode 11: Melissa McBain - Landlord’s Security

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RealTea Episode 10: Gasper Galati - Abandoned Property

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RealTea Episode 6: Jamie Paquin - Force Majeure

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RealTea Episode 5: Jack Saraiva - Overholding

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In this installment, Jack Saraiva "spills the tea" on overholding.

RealTea Episode 4: Allison Fehrman - Removal and Restoration Obligations

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2022 ICSC Canadian Law Conference - Immovable Object Meets Irresistible Force

Jan 03, 2023 | Presentation

When they work together, landlords and tenants create vibrant shopping experiences that promote a maximum return on investment for both parties. Wh...

What’s “Fair” in Fair Market Rent?

Nov 26, 2021 | Blawg

Here are 5 things you need to consider when agreeing to an option to extend/renew your commercial lease at “fair market rent”.

5 Ways to Close Leasing Deals ...FAST!

Nov 04, 2021 | Blawg

Frustrated by how long it takes to close a lease deal? Tired of running into hurdles late in the game? Here are 5 ways to get over ...

DV's Allison Fehrman Nominated for the Outstanding Young Leaders Program in Canadian Real Estate

Sep 13, 2021 | Announcements

DV Law is delighted to announce that Allison Fehrman, an associate in our Commercial Leasing team, has been nominated for the Outstanding Young Lea...

Bankruptcy Trustee Successfully Asserts Extension of Subsection 38(2) Commercial Tenancies Act Rights After Landlord Argues Lease was Surrendered

Jul 17, 2020 | Blawg

In a recent decision, the Ontario Superior Court not only granted a bankruptcy trustee access to a premises and the right to assign a lease, despit...

18th Annual NAIOP Greater Toronto REX Awards

Apr 24, 2019 | Announcements

Daoust Vukovich LLP was thrilled to be back again to sponsor the Office Lease of the Year Award at the 18th Annual NAIOP Greater Toronto REX Awards...

It's Always Better to Pay Under Protest Than Not Pay at All

Apr 11, 2019 | Blawg

The following scenario is common in the commercial leasing world: A landlord delivers an invoice to a tenant for additional rent owing. ...

Cannabis in Ontario - The Landlord and Tenant Perspective

Apr 03, 2019 | Presentation

This paper served as the background to the comments of Dennis Daoust (a partner in the law firm of Daoust Vukovich LLP) presented at the P.M. Sprin...

Choosing and Retaining Construction Consultants

Mar 01, 2019 | Article

Written by Dennis Daoust and Brian Parker (ICSC Law Conference 2019) INTRODUCTION Having a good consultant for your construction project is critica...

Indepth Workshop on Permitted Assignment and Transfer Provisions

Apr 21, 2016 | Article

Written by Dennis Daoust (ICSC Canadian Law Conference), 2016 Commercial leases contain restrictions on assignment, subleasing and parting with or ...

Landlord Renovations and Redevelopments: When, if ever, do they give rise to a breach of the Landlord's covenant for Quiet Enjoyment?

Feb 18, 2016 | Article

Written by Deborah Watkins and Brian Parker (The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2016) When a landlord renovates or repairs its property it mu...

I Thought My Security Blanket Would Always Cover Me! Security Deposits and Prepaid Rent

Jan 30, 2016 | Article

Written by Melissa McBain (The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer) The strength of a tenant's financial covenant is, without a doubt, one of the ...

Security Deposits & Pre-Paid Rent: Treatment Upon Tenant's Bankruptcy In Canada

Jan 20, 2016 | Article

Written by Jamie Paquin and Brian Parker (ICSC U.S. Shopping Center Legal Update, Spring Issue 2016) Canadian landlords often require that tenants ...

You're Special and They're Special - Specialty Leasing Issues

Apr 14, 2015 | Article

Written by Deborah Watkins (ICSC Canadian Law Conference 2015) Leasing premises to a special use tenant has its advantages; as a tenant invests in ...

Don't Lien on Me! The Construction Lien Act within the context of commercial leasing

Feb 18, 2015 | Article

Written by Gasper Galati and Brian Parker (The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2015) This paper addresses construction lien issues which arise...

Whose Form Is It Anyway? When Using the Tenant's Lease Form, the Points do Matter!

Feb 18, 2015 | Article

Written by Jamie Paquin (The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2015) Veterans of the Canadian commercial leasing industry may remember the days ...

Do You See What I See? Most Likely Not! Visibility Covenants in Commercial Leases

Jun 05, 2014 | Article

Written by Jamie Paquin (The Behar Group Newsletter- Summer 2014 edition) In commercial leases, landlords want as much flexibility as possible to e...

Good Faith Negotiation and Performance of Lease Covenants

Feb 25, 2014 | Article

Written by Wolfgang Kaufmann and Brian Parker (The Commons Institute Commercial Leasing Essentials Live Webcast 2014) "Good faith" is a term that i...

Landlord Additional Services To Premises

Jan 30, 2014 | Article

Written by Dennis Daoust (The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2014) This topic deals with the kinds of ongoing services that tenants might req...

"I Surrender!" A Practical Review of the Law of Surrenders of Leases

Jan 30, 2014 | Article

Written by Melissa McBain (The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2014) This paper provides a summary of the law of surrenders (and partial surre...

Arbitration and Mediation of Commercial Lease Disputes

Dec 10, 2013 | Article

Written by Wolfgang Kaufmann and Brian Parker (16th Commercial Real Estate Leases 2013) Commercial leases often involve long-term relationships. It...

Attornment and Non-Disturbance Agreements

Sep 10, 2013 | Article

Written by Natalie Vukovich and Brian Parker (LSUC, Commercial Mortgage Transactions 2013) As a commercial leasing lawyer, dealing exclusively with...

Reasonability, Good Faith and Discretion in Commercial Leasing: A Contrast Between Canada and the United States

Jun 04, 2012 | Article

Written by Natalie Vukovich (ISCS Shopping Centre Legal Update - Vol. 32, Issue 2) In both Canada and the United States, there is a legal doc...

Weathering the Storm: The Force Majeure Clause

Sep 29, 2011 | Blawg

Landlords and tenants want to ensure that their commercial leases provide them with rights and remedies in the event of unforeseen circumstances th...

Practice Management Issues in Commercial Leasing

Feb 16, 2011 | Article

Written by Jeanne Banka (LSUC - The Six-Minute commercial leasing lawyer 2011) The purpose of this paper is to address some practice management iss...

BOMA 2010 Office Standard and New BOMA 2010 Retail Standard

Feb 16, 2011 | Article

Written by Natalie Vukovich (The Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer 2011) Renewal rights in commercial leases are often limited by a provision st...

Operating Costs Update

Feb 03, 2010 | Article

Written by Natalie Vukovich The Law Society of Upper Canada - Six-Minute Commercial Leasing Lawyer Are capital expenditures properly recoverable as...

Practical Guide to Drafting an Effective Commercial Lease: Utilizing and Protecting Your commercial Property - Types of Commercial Leases

Jan 28, 2010 | Article

Written by Dennis Daoust (The Canadian Institute, Pre-Conference Workshop) This paper describes the broad categories of commercial lease. By way of...