Education

Memorial University of Newfoundland, BA, 1978  University of Ottawa, BA, 1980  University of Ottawa, LLB, 1982  

Bar Admissions

Ontario, 1984  British Columbia, 1991 

David Bursey

Partner
Co-Head of Aboriginal Law Practice

T: 604.891.5128 / E: burseyd@bennettjones.com

Vancouver

For almost 40 years, David Bursey has advised energy, natural resource and infrastructure clients on regulatory, environmental, ESG, water resource management and Indigenous community relations to assist with successful project development and operation.

He is a member of the firm’s Energy, Regulatory, Environmental, ESG, Mining, Power and Renewable Energy practice groups, as well as the co-head of the firm's Aboriginal Law practice group. He assists clients with project design and approval, community relations, and the subsequent regulation of operations. He also advises on corporate reputation management, social communication of risk, risk management and governance policies related to environmental practices, Indigenous community relations, and other ESG matters.

He represents clients before federal and provincial regulatory tribunals, such as the Canadian Energy Regulator, the British Columbia Utilities Commission, Commissions of Inquiry, and before government review panels during major projects environmental reviews. He has participated in many high-profile project reviews since the 1980’s, involving various sectors: energy (oil, gas, electricity and renewable), industrial complexes, aquaculture, municipal infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, airport infrastructure, port infrastructure, and marine shipping. He also assists clients with judicial challenges, appeals, compliance issues, injunctions and dispute resolution before at all levels of court and arbitral proceedings.

He advises on public utility regulation and other regulated industries, including the licensing, economics, and operation of: energy pipelines, energy utilities, renewable energy, marine transportation, telecommunications, cannabis, liquor, mining and forestry.

Before joining private practice, David worked with the federal government in Ottawa—first with the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and then with the National Energy Board.

David is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, the International Association of Petroleum Negotiators and the Inter-Pacific Bar Association. He is also a former National Chair of the Administrative Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association and a former Provincial Chair of the Administrative Law Section of the Canadian Bar Association (British Columbia).

David's expertise is recognized by various peer-reviewed lawyer rating entities, including Chambers, Lexpert, Best Lawyers, and LexisNexis – Martindale-Hubbell.