Naomi
Mares
she / her / hers
Partner
Admitted to the Ontario Bar: 2018
Naomi is skilled at negotiating with multiple stakeholders on complex municipal and land use planning matters. She is an effective advocate who draws on her passion for city building and experience navigating the planning process to deliver strategic advice to help private and public sector clients with matters under the Planning Act, the Development Charges Act, the City of Toronto Act and the Ontario Heritage Act.
Naomi is a member of the firm’s Municipal, Land Use Planning & Development Group. She assists landowners, applicants and developers with securing development approvals, including processing planning applications from pre-consultation through to approval. She also advises clients on official plan and zoning by-law amendments, plans of subdivision, site plan approvals, minor variance applications, parkland dedication and development charges.
Naomi has particular expertise in heritage conservation matters under the Ontario Heritage Act, working with both property owners and municipal governments in respect of heritage conservation districts, heritage easement agreements and property designations.
Naomi regularly appears before the Ontario Land Tribunal, the Toronto Local Appeal Body, and various municipal councils and committees.
Professional Involvement
Memberships
- Law Society of Ontario
- Urban Land Institute (ULI)
Community Involvement
- Member, Board of Directors, Save Our Scruff – Rehome & Rescue
Speaker, "Ontario Land Use Planning: Hot Topics for 2025," Aird & Berlis LLP Municipal Webinar, January 22, 2025.
Speaker, "Ontario Heritage Act," A Deep Dive: Analyzing the Legislative Changes of Bill 23 (Webinar), March 7, 2023.
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, "Ontario Approves Majority of Toronto’s Major Transit Station Areas and Protected Major Transit Station Areas With Amendments," Aird & Berlis LLP, Municipal & Planning Law Bulletin, August 20, 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, "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, "First Reading of Bill 185 and the Draft 2024 Provincial Planning Statement," Aird & Berlis LLP, Municipal & Planning Law Bulletin, April 12, 2024.
Quoted in " 'Kindness Can Accomplish Everything': Lawyers Discuss LGBTQ2+ Inclusion in the Workplace," Law Times, August 14, 2023.
Co-Author, “Adverse Possession Claims Against Municipally-Owned Lands," Digest of Municipal & Planning Law, September 2022.