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Eric L. Foster

Partner

[email protected]

+1.647.499.2640

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Eric has a multifaceted corporate practice that encompasses advising on capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and other complex corporate matters, including on both sides of the Canada-US border and internationally. He represents securities dealers, institutional investors, and public and private issuers across a wide range of industries, including life sciences, technology, cannabis, and mining.

In his corporate finance practice, Eric has advised parties on all sides of a broad spectrum of financing transactions, including IPOs, secondary offerings, private placements, and other types of equity and debt financing. His M&A work includes guiding acquirers and target companies involved in friendly and hostile takeover bids, plans of arrangement, reverse takeovers, and other business combinations. As one of Canada’s leading cannabis lawyers, Eric has handled several high-profile cannabis industry transactions and complex commercial agreements for industry participants, including cannabis licensing, royalty, supply, consulting, and celebrity partnership agreements. Eric is also a sought-after speaker in the cannabis industry and has made appearances in multiple media outlets, including Bloomberg, The Globe and Mail, the Financial Post, and CTV News.

Eric also regularly counsels Canadian public companies on disclosure matters, corporate governance, and other corporate and securities law obligations. In addition, start-ups and emerging companies seek his guidance on issues involving corporate structure, governance, financing, and licensing.

Eric holds a Certificate in Mining Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, and he completed the Business Leadership Program at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management.

Prior to joining Mintz, Eric led the Canadian cannabis practice of an international law firm. Earlier, he was an associate at a Canadian multinational law firm.

Experience

Public and Private Offerings:

  • Advised Silver Mountain Resources in its C$9.3M bought deal public offering of units.
  • Advised AbraSilver Resource Corp. in its C$10M bought deal private placement of units using the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption.
  • Advised POSaBIT Systems Corporation in its C$11M equity and debt financing.
  • Advised Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. in a C$6.5 million offering of units of Patriot One Technologies Inc.
  • Advised Silver Mountain Resources Inc. in its C$26.45 million initial public offering of units and subsequent TSX Venture Exchange listing.
  • Acted as counsel to Rivalry Corp. in connection with a nearly $22 million private placement of subscription receipts and its TSX Venture Exchange listing of subordinate voting shares.
  • Advised Stifel GMP and a syndicate of agents in a brokered private placement of subscription receipts of Wesana Health Inc., through a special purpose financing vehicle, for gross proceeds of $16.1 million from Wesana’s go-public transaction by way of RTO with Debut Diamonds Inc.
  • Represented Leede Jones Gable Inc., as agent and sole bookrunner, in connection with ProMIS Neurosciences Inc.’s $20.125 million public offering of units through a prospectus supplement.
  • Represented a syndicate of agents in a C$10.2 million offering of subscription receipts as part of Humble & Fume Inc.’s go-public transaction
  • Advised Gage Growth Corp in a $50 million private placement of subordinate voting shares and subsequent filing of a long-form qualifying prospectus and CSE listing. 
  • Advised a syndicate of agents in a C$15 million offering of subscription receipts as part of Sol Cuisine Ltd.’s go-public transaction.
  • Advised ATB Capital Markets Inc., as a Canadian agent, in connection with a C$22 million strategic investment into Canadian cannabis producer edibles Indiva Limited by Sundial Growers Inc. by way of a brokered private placement offering for C$11 million and a C$11 million Term Loan Facility.
  • Represented Fire & Flower in its brokered offering of C$19.8 principal amount of secured convertible debentures and C$8.2 of subscription receipts.
  • Advised AIM4 Ventures Inc. in its initial public offering and qualifying transaction with TRC Management Holdings Corp. by way of a statutory plan of arrangement.
  • Advised Halo Collective Inc. in its overnight marketed public offering of units for aggregate gross proceeds of more than C$8 million.
  • Advised a syndicate of Canaccord Genuity Corp. underwriters in a C$23 million bought deal public offering of units of Namaste Technologies Inc.
  • Acted for Echelon Wealth Partners Inc. as part of a syndicate of underwriters in the offering of 45,454,600 units of National Access Cannabis Corp. d/b/a Meta Growth for gross proceeds of C$10 million.
  • Advised Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. in its C$15 million at-the-market (ATM) equity program.
  • Advised a syndicate of underwriters in a C$34.5 million overnight marketed public offering of units of Indus Holdings, Inc.
  • Represented Halo Labs Inc. in an up to $7 million "at-the-market" offering of common shares.
  • Advised the special committee of Treasury Metals Inc. in its acquisition of the Goldlund Gold Project from First Mining Gold Corp.
  • Advised the agents, led by Canaccord Genuity Corp., and including Raymond James Ltd., Gravitas Securities Inc., Beacon Securities Limited, and Cormark Securities Inc., in an offering of subscription receipts of Carebook Technologies Inc. in connection with its go-public transaction through a reverse takeover of Pike Mountain Minerals Inc.
  • Advised AltaCorp Capital Inc. as Canadian agent in HEXO Corp.’s C$34.5 million at-the-market (ATM) equity program.
  • Advised Wolverine Partners Corp. in a C$28.5 million non-brokered private placement of common shares.
  • Advised Ample Organics Inc. in relation to a brokered and non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of approximately $3 million.
  • Advised a syndicate of agents, including Beacon Securities Limited, in a $40 million private placement of subscription receipts of Indus Holdings, Inc. and going-public transaction.
  • Acted as Canadian counsel to Corsica Innovations Inc. (dba LEAF) in connection with its C$4.5 million private placement of units to investors in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Israel.
  • Represented a syndicate of agents, including Eight Capital, in a $50 million brokered private placement of unsecured convertible debentures of LPF JV, LLC (dba Loudpack Farms).
  • Advised Embark Health Inc. in a C$10.8 million brokered private placement of units.
  • Advised Fire & Flower Holdings Corp. in its reverse takeover of Cinaport Acquisition Corp. II and concurrent subscription receipt financing for gross proceeds of approximately $36.5 million.
  • Advised SLANG Worldwide Inc. in a C$66 million brokered private placement of subscription receipts.
  • Advised a syndicate of agents, including GMP Securities L.P., in a C$520 million brokered private placement of subscription receipts by Curaleaf Holdings, Inc.
  • Advised the agents, GMP Securities L.P. and INFOR Financial Inc., in connection with a $20 million private placement of Humble & Fume Inc.’s convertible debentures.
  • Advised GR Companies in connection with a $90 million non-brokered private placement of convertible debentures.
  • Acting as Canadian counsel to Greenlane Holdings, Inc. in its $102 million initial public offering in the United States and concurrent Canadian private placement of common shares.
  • Advised SLANG Worldwide Inc. (formerly Fire Cannabis Inc.) on its long-form qualifying prospectus and CSE listing.
  • Advised Gran Colombia Gold Corp. in a $98 million offering of high-yield notes and warrants.
  • Advised GMP Securities L.P. as Canadian counsel to a syndicate of underwriters in a C$100 million cross-border public offering of common shares of Cronos Group Inc.
  • Advised a syndicate of underwriters, including PI Financial Corp., in a C$46 million bought deal public offering of common shares of Cronos Group Inc.
  • Advised SLANG Worldwide Inc. in a C$16.7 million brokered private placement of special warrants.
  • Advised a syndicate of underwriters, Cormark Securities Inc., in a C$16.5 million bought deal public offering of common shares of TECSYS Inc.
  • Advised Cronos Group Inc. in multiple private placements and public offerings of shares.
  • Advised PharmaCan Capital Corp. in its C$15.1 million public offering of common shares.
  • Advised the syndicate of agents, RBC Capital Markets, TD Securities, BMO Capital Markets, in RioCan REIT’s C$300 million public offering of 2.83% senior unsecured debentures, Series Y.
  • Advised the syndicate of agents, including CIBC Capital Markets, in CI Financial Corp.'s C$200 million public offering of 2.775% debentures.
  • Advised the syndicate of underwriters, including CIBC Capital Markets and Scotiabank, in Northview Apartment REIT's C$74.8 million public offering of trust units.
  • Advised the syndicate of agents, RBC Capital Markets, TD Securities, and BMO Capital Markets, in RioCan REIT’s C$250 million public offering of 2.185% senior unsecured debentures, Series X.
  • Advised the syndicate led by CIBC Capital Markets in CI Financial Corp.’s C$450 million public offering of 2.645% debentures.
  • Advised Secutor Capital Management with respect to Northern Graphite Corporation's public offering of units.
  • Advised Secutor Capital Management in Avalon Rare Metals Inc.’s public offering of units and flow-through shares.
  • Advised the syndicate of underwriters, RBC Capital Markets, TD Securities, and BMO Capital Markets, in RioCan REIT's C$300 million public offering of 3.287% senior unsecured debentures, Series W.
  • Advised the syndicate of underwriters, including RBC Capital Markets, in Concordia Healthcare Corp.'s C$368 million public offering of subscription receipts and related Rule 144A private placement.
  • Advised Reliance Intermediate Holdings in its $375 million 144A/Reg. S high-yield debt offering of 6.5% senior secured notes and related tender offer and consent solicitation for all of its $350 million 9.5% senior secured notes.
  • Advised, as Canadian counsel, the syndicate of underwriters in Transition Therapeutics Inc.'s $23 million public offering of common shares on the Nasdaq, including Cowen and Company.
  • Advised Reliance Intermediate Holdings in its C$300 million private placement of 3.813% senior secured notes.
  • Advised the syndicate of underwriters, RBC Capital Markets, TD Securities, and BMO Capital Markets, in a C$175 million reopening of RioCan REIT's offering of 3.85% senior unsecured debentures, Series Q.
  • Advised NanoLumens in its $8.3 million private placement of units.
  • Advised the syndicate of underwriters, including RBC Capital Markets, TD Securities, and BMO Capital Markets, in RioCan REIT’s C$126 million public offering of trust units and concurrent Rule 144A private placement.
  • Advised Reliance Intermediate Holdings in its C$200 million private placement of 4.075% senior secured notes.
  • Advised the syndicate of underwriters, including BMO Capital Markets, CIBC World Markets, and Macquarie Capital Markets Canada, in Ivanhoe Mines Ltd.’s C$143.8 million public offering of units and concurrent C$25 million private placement.
  • Advised the syndicate of underwriters, including RBC Capital Markets, in Trimel Pharmaceuticals Corporation's C$46 million public offering of common shares.
  • Advised the syndicate of agents, including Secutor Capital Management, in Encanto Potash Corp.’s public offering of units and flow-through units and Rule 144A private placement.
  • Advised the syndicate of agents, including RBC Capital Markets, in Lorus Therapeutics Inc.'s C$28.25 million public offering of common shares and Rule 144A private placement.
  • Advised Gazit-Globe Ltd., an Israel-based global real estate company, in its listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange.
  • Advised Secutor Capital in its role as the placement agent in Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd.’s private placement of common and flow-through units.
  • Advised Secutor Capital and Marquest Capital Markets in NexGen Energy Ltd.’s qualifying transaction and brokered private placement of flow-through shares and units.
  • Advised Reliance Home Comfort in its debt refinancing, including a senior secured credit facility for C$450 million and concurrent private placements of C$375 million of 4.574% Series 1 senior secured notes and C$325 million of 5.187% Series 2 senior secured notes.
  • Advised OMERS Private Equity in its C$173 million secondary offering of Constellation Software Inc.
  • Advised Newcrest Mining in its listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Transactional and Investment Matters:

  • Advised Sundial Growers Inc. in its purchase of C$10 million in senior secured second-lien convertible debentures of Delta 9 Cannabis Inc.
  • Advised the Gage in its $545 million going private transaction utilizing a plan arrangement involving Terrascend Corp.
  • Advised Momentum Health Inc. in Empower Clinics Inc.’s (CSE: CBDT) acquisition of Lawrence Park Health and Wellness Clinic Inc. and Atkinson Health Centre for cash and shares.
  • Advised BioGeneration Capital Fund IV Coöperatieve U.A. on its investment in a pioneering Canadian drug discovery company.
  • Advised Clever Leaves Holdings Inc. in its listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market through a business combination with Schultze Special Purpose Acquisition Corp.
  • Represented SLANG Worldwide Inc. in its acquisition of Allied Concessions Group Inc., a Colorado-based Cannabis product manufacturer, for shares and other consideration totaling more than C$21 million.
  • Represented SLANG Worldwide Inc. in its all-share acquisition of LBA Global Corporation, including LBA’s Lunchbox Alchemy brand portfolio and Hydra Distribution subsidiary.
  • Represented SLANG Worldwide Inc. in its acquisition of Colorado-licensed cannabis cultivator Pleasant Valley Ranch, LC, for cash and shares.
  • Represented an enterprise software company in its $30.7 million sale to a Nasdaq-listed technology company for cash and stock.
  • Advised cannabis software solution provider Ample Organics Inc. in its acquisition of Last Call Analytics Inc.
  • Advised Gage Growth Corp. in its acquisition of Rivers Innovations Inc.
  • Advised Southern Sun Pharma Inc., a South African–based holder of multiple cannabis licenses, in its reverse takeover of AIM3 Ventures Inc. (TSXV: AIMC.P), which would constitute the capital pool company’s “qualifying transaction” under TSXV policies.
  • Advised AIM2 Ventures Inc. in relation to the completion of its qualifying transaction with Canopy Rivers Corporation.
  • Advised Prism Medical in its C$81.4 million sale to Handicare Group AB.
  • Advised Fairfax Financial in its strategic investment in Cara Operations Limited, Canada’s largest full-service restaurant organization, and in Cara’s subsequent acquisition of Fairfax's stake in Prime Restaurants Inc.
  • Advised Alamos Gold in its acquisition of Orsa Ventures Corp.
  • Advised Qtrade in its partial sale to Desjardins Financial Corporation Inc.
  • Advised Inmet Mining in its $1 billion precious metal streaming agreement with Franco-Nevada for the Cobre Panama Project.

 

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News & Press

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TORONTO- Mintz is pleased to announce the recognition of several attorneys in the Canadian Lawyer’s 2024 Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.
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Mintz proudly announced the election of 13 attorneys to Members and the addition of a record-setting 22 new lateral Members in 2023, with 11 Partners in the newly opened Toronto office. This diverse group strengthens Mintz’s core areas, spanning Commercial and IP Litigation, Life Sciences, Tech, Private Equity, and Energy & Sustainability. The elevated Members and new lateral additions bring invaluable expertise to help clients navigate complex legal landscapes.
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TORONTO – Mintz continues its expansion in Toronto with the addition of Mervyn Allen who joins as a Partner and will launch the firm’s Real Estate practice in Canada.
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Mintz has been recognized by The Globe and Mail as one of Canada’s Best Law Firms for 2024, gaining particular distinction in Private Equity and Investments. This is the first time the firm has been included on this list.
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TORONTO – Mintz announced today that six attorneys have been ranked in the 2024 edition of Chambers Canada, marking the first time the firm has been included in the guide.
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Mintz is representing Future Electronics in its announced sale to Taiwan-based WT Microelectronics (TAIEX: 3036). The all-cash sale will see WT Microelectronics acquire 100% of Future Electronics shares for an enterprise value of $3.8 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2024.
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Mintz is pleased to announce that six Toronto Partners have been recognized as leaders by Best Lawyers® in the 2024 edition of The Best Lawyers in Canada©.
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BOSTON –Mintz announced today that 39 of its practices and 81 of its attorneys earned recognition in the 2023 edition of Chambers USA, a guide to the country’s leading law firms.
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TORONTO – Mintz is pleased to announce that it has subleased the 28th floor at 200 Bay Street’s South Tower, an iconic pillar of Toronto's Financial District. The firm moved into the nearly 24,000 square feet of space on April 1, 2023.
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The Globe and Mail featured the arrival of Partners Matthew Atkey and Brad Tartick, Special Counsel Bernard Kwasniewski and Of Counsel Matthew Imrie who will join Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson in the firm's Toronto office.
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The Boston Globe covered the firm's expansion to Toronto and the arrival of the office's founding partners Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson.
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BOSTON, TORONTO – Mintz is pleased to announce its expansion into Canada with the opening of a Toronto office, launched by a team of highly regarded and industry-leading attorneys. The new office will add depth and breadth to Mintz’s global Life Sciences practice and will further expand the firm’s strong Private Equity, Capital Markets, and Pensions and Employment practices.
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The Deal profiled the firm's Toronto office founding members Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson who join Mintz to expand the firm's life sciences and private equity practices.
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The Canadian Lawyer featured the launch of Mintz's Toronto office and highlighted the arrival of founding partners Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson.
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JD Journal covered the firm's new Toronto office and the arrival founding Partners Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson.
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Mintz's expansion to Toronto and the office's founding Partners Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson was featured in an article published by The Global Legal Post.
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Law360 covered the opening of Mintz's new Toronto office and profiled founding Partners Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson.
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The American Lawyer spotlighted the opening of Mintz's Toronto office and the arrival of founding partners Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson.
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The firm's expansion into the Toronto market and the arrival of founding Partners, Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson was covered by Reuters.
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The Globe and Mail featured Mintz's expansion into the Canadian legal market and the launch of the firm's Toronto office, with the arrival of Michael Akkawi, Cheryl Reicin, Mitch Frazer, Eric Foster, and Lee Johnson.
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Recognition & Awards

  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Cannabis Law – Lawyer of the Year in Toronto (2022, 2024)

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Repeatedly recommended, Corporate Finance & Securities, Corporate Mid-Market, Mergers & Acquisitions, and Mining (2024)

  • Lexpert: Rising Stars Awards  – “Leading Lawyers Under 40” (2020)

  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Cannabis Law (2020 - 2024)

  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Mergers & Acquisitions Law

  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Venture Capital Law (2022 - 2024)

  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Mining Law (2023 - 2024)

  • Chambers Canada: Cannabis Law (Band 1) 

  • The Legal 500 Canada: Cannabis (2024)

  • The Legal 500 Canada: Capital Markets

  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Corporate Commercial Law, Corporate Mid-Market and Corporate Finance & Securities

  • Lexpert special edition: Canada’s Leading Lawyers: Global Mining, Agribusiness & Cannabis; Finance and M&A; Technology and Health Sciences

  • Financial Post: Recognized as one of the “20 power players putting down roots in the cannabis industry” (October 2018)

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