Our Team

Michael J. Siltala

Partner

	Direct: 416.865.8116 Office: Toronto Fax: 416.865.7380 Email: msiltala@torys.com

	Michael played a leading role on a number of the largest M&A and public finance deals in Canada since 2000.

Practice

Michael Siltala is the coordinator of Torys’ Corporate Group. Michael’s practice focuses on business law, including public and private corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity. Michael regularly acts for a number of Canada’s pre-eminent business corporations and institutions, and has played a leading role in a number of significant transactions for them, including the acquisition of Reuters by The Thomson Corporation (resulting in Thomson Reuters), the acquisition of Dundee Wealth by the Bank of Nova Scotia, the formation of Bell Globemedia Inc. (since renamed CTV Inc.) and its subsequent sale to BCE, the acquisition of CHUM by CTV, and the multibillion sales of each of the learning and newspaper divisions of Thomson Reuters. Michael regularly advises on cross-border public financings of both equity and debt on behalf of both issuers and underwriters.

Transactions

Michael has recently represented

The Bank of Nova Scotia in its $2.3 billion acquisition of Dundee Wealth
Brookfield Office Properties on the sale of its residential home building business for $515 million
The Woodbridge Company on its acquisition of The Globe and Mail and its sale of CTV for $3.2 billion
Brookfield Office Properties Canada in its reorganization into a leading Canadian REIT
CTV on its sale of its interest in MLSE
The Thomson Corporation in its US$18 billion proposed acquisition of Reuters Group and its US$7.75 billion sale of the higher education, careers and library reference assets of Thomson Learning, as well as Nelson Canada
The Woodbridge Company on the sale of its interest in Augusta Newsprint Company to AbitiBowater
Brookfield Special Situations Fund on its $1.2 billion recapitalization of Ainsworth Lumber
The Woodbridge Company and Bell Globemedia on the recapitalization of Bell Globemedia and the acquisition of an interest in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment
Bell Globemedia on its takeover bid for CHUM
Brookfield Asset Management on the sale of its interest in Falconbridge
CFM Corporation on its sale to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Thomson Reuters on the multibillion dollar sale of its U.S. and Canadian newspaper assets on the issue globally of over $4.0 billion in public debt
Brookfield Office Properties and Brookfield Office Properties Canada on their public and private equity and debt financings
Birch Hill Equity Partners on the sale of Anchor Lamina and its investment in BIOX
Cameco and Centerra Gold in Centerra Gold’s initial public offering
Thomson Reuters on its acquisitions of Starquote, Selkirk Financial Technologies, Lexpert and Gage Learning
Sherritt International and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan on their acquisition of an interest in Fording
Elizabeth Arden on its acquisition of Riviera Concepts
Hub International on the acquisition of the Kaye Group, a Nasdaq-listed company in the insurance brokerage business
Canadian private equity funds on a significant number of investments
Canadian investment banks on a significant number of public offerings of debt and equity

Professional Involvement

Michael is a former representative of the Professional Hockey Players’ Association.

Selected Publications and Presentations

Corporate Governance and Regulatory Issues Panel
Osgoode M&A Skills Bootcamp | April 2010 and 2011

The OSC’s Reasons in Magna Will Affect Future M&A Transactions
Mergers and Acquisitions Bulletin | February 16, 2011

Corporate Governance Developments in Canada and the United States
Corporate and Capital Markets Bulletin | February 7, 2011

OSC Reasons in HudBay Raise Questions About Independence of Financial Advisers
Torys M&A Bulletin | April 30, 2009

TSX to Require Shareholder Approval for Dilutive Public Company Acquistions
Torys M&A Bulletin | April 6, 2009

Shareholder Approval Issues in the Spotlight Following OSC Decision
Torys M&A Bulletin | January 26, 2009

Selected Media Highlights

November 25, 2011: OSC considering changes to corporate governance in M&A transactions, say Karrin Powys-Lybbe, Michael Siltala and Cornell Wright

April 7, 2009: New TSX rule will be a significant hurdle to transactions, says Michael Siltala in Financial Post

Practice Areas and Industry Groups

Corporate and Capital Markets Equity IPOs Mergers and Acquisitions Mining and Metals Private Equity

Bar Admissions

Ontario, 1993

Education

LLB/MBA, 1993
Dalhousie University

BA (Economics), 1988
Queen's University