Matthew
Helfand
Partner
Admitted to the Ontario Bar: 2019
Matthew is a member of the firm's Municipal, Land Use Planning & Development Group. He provides strategic and practical advice to clients on a wide range of land development, planning and municipal law matters.
Matthew regularly represents developers, landowners and municipalities on various issues, including expropriations, development charges, residential tenancies and land use planning. He has an impressive track record of securing zoning approvals for various development projects, including transit-oriented communities and high-density mixed-use redevelopments.
Leveraging his broad advocacy experience, Matthew represents clients before all levels of court in Ontario and the Federal Court of Canada. Additionally, he regularly appears before the Ontario Land Tribunal, Toronto Local Appeal Body and the Committee of Adjustment.
Matthew is the co-author of Ontario Expropriation Law and Commentary and serves as a regular contributor to the Digest of Municipal and Planning Law.
Professional Involvement
Professional Activities
- President, Western Alumni Association
- Co-Chair, Amici Camping Charity Canoe Heads for Kids
- Member-At-Large, Municipal Law Section Executive, Ontario Bar Association
- Member, Ontario Expropriation Association
- Member, Canadian Bar Association
Moderator, "From Policy to Permit: Building Toronto's Next Chapter," Kehilla Affordable Housing, April 29, 2026.
Presenter, "Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 – Case Law Update 2025," Residential Tenancies Act Sessions: Building Your Legal Toolkit, April 16 & 23, 2025.
Presenter, "RTA Case Law Update," FRPO's Residential Tenancies Act Sessions, April 22, 2024.
Moderator, "Developing Purpose Built Rental," Kehilla Residential Programme Young Professionals Speakers Series, December 6, 2023.
Guest Lecturer, "Zoning and Land Use Regulation," The Real Property Association of Canada (REALPAC), September 2022 and September 2023.
Annual Presenter, "Case Law Update on the Residential Tenancies Act," Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO), 2020-2023.
Presenter, "Site Plans," A Deep Dive: Analyzing the Legislative Changes of Bill 23 (Webinar), March 21, 2023.
Presenter, "Municipal Financial Law Update," 2021 Ontario West Municipal Treasurers’ Forum, May 20, 2021.
Co-Presenter, "Digging in the Dirt – Excess Soil in Municipalities," OBA’s Institute Series – Building Communities, February 4, 2021.
Presenter, "Developments in Municipal Finance," The Northern Treasurers Forum, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, October 2020.
Quoted in "Paving the Way? Stakeholders Weigh In on Bill 60, Citing Concerns About Overreach and Added Complexity," Novae Res Urbis: Greater Toronto & Hamilton Area, December 3, 2025.
Co-Author, "Bill 60: Faster But Not Smarter? An Overview of Ontario’s Latest Planning Legislation," Aird & Berlis LLP, Municipal & Planning Law Bulletin, November 28, 2025.
Co-Author, "Bill 17 and the Push to Build: How Ontario Plans to Speed Up Development," Aird & Berlis LLP, Municipal & Planning Law Bulletin, May 16, 2025.
Co-Author with Christopher Williams and Andrea Skinner, Expropriation Law in Ontario, 2nd Edition, published by LexisNexis, April 14, 2025.
Co-Author, "Bill 185, Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act, 2024 Receives Royal Assent," Aird & Berlis LLP, Municipal & Planning Law Bulletin, June 7, 2024.
Co-Author, "Fully (In)Completely - The Shifting Landscape of Complete Development Application Requirements," The Digest of Municipal & Planning Law (2d) (April 2024) No.16, pp. 1-12.
Co-Author, "First Reading of Bill 185 and the Draft 2024 Provincial Planning Statement," Aird & Berlis LLP, Municipal & Planning Law Bulletin, April 12, 2024.
Author, "Ontario’s Affordable Homes and Good Jobs Act, 2023 Receives Royal Assent," Aird & Berlis LLP, Municipal & Planning Law Bulletin, December 6, 2023.
Co-Author with Jasmine Fraser and Patrick Harrington, "Analyzing Bill 97, the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023," Aird & Berlis LLP, April 14, 2023.
Co-Author with Christopher Williams and Andrea Skinner, Expropriation Law in Ontario, published by LexisNexis, May 13, 2021.
Co-Author, "Not a Blank Cheque – Costs in Appropriation Litigation," The Digest of Municipal & Planning Law, October 2020.