Meaghan Barrett

Partner Admitted to the Ontario Bar: 2016
  • Toronto

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  • Bio
  • Awards & Recognition
  • Professional Involvement
  • Selected Speaking Engagements
  • Selected Publications
  • Insights
  • Education

Meaghan leads clients through intricate planning challenges with creativity and practical insight. She skilfully co-ordinates teams of consultants and expert witnesses to develop strategies and craft compelling narratives. Clients value Meaghan’s personable manner and problem-solving skills, as well as her ability to achieve effective results.

Meaghan is a member of the firm’s Municipal & Land Use Planning Group. She frequently manages complex files with multiple stakeholders, providing thoughtful advice and representation to private landowners, developers and municipalities. This equips Meaghan with a comprehensive understanding of how these parties navigate planning and municipal law challenges.

Meaghan represents clients throughout the land development process, including applications, appeals and all related negotiations and permissions. She is experienced in heritage matters under the Ontario Heritage Act and is increasingly sought after for her expertise in this area. Meaghan also provides advice on municipal governance and municipal accountability matters. She is a member of the firm’s Municipal Accountability team.

Meaghan regularly appears before the Ontario Land Tribunal and various councils and committees on behalf of clients.

Awards & Recognition

  • Recognized in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Canada for her expertise in Real Estate Law and Municipal Law

Professional Involvement

Memberships

  • Ontario Bar Association
  • The Advocates' Society
  • Urban Land Institute

Selected Speaking Engagements

"Bill 60 Residential Development: What Every Land-Use and Built-Environment Professional Needs to Know," ULI Toronto Webinar, January 16, 2026.

"Planning for Change – Ontario’s New Municipal Accountability Frontier," Ontario Small Urban Municipalities, May 4, 2018.

"A Primer on Codes of Conduct and Municipal Conflicts of Interest," Ontario Association of Committees of Adjustment and Consent Authorities Fall Seminar, October 24, 2017.

Selected Publications

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, “The 'Uber' Impact of E-Scooters on Canadian Municipalities,” Municipal World, August 2019.

“Implementing Ontario’s Municipal Accountability Framework,” 8 Digest of Municipal & Planning Law (2d) (June 2018) No. 18, pp. 1-10.

“Getting Ready for Ontario’s New Municipal Accountability Regime,” Six-Minute Municipal Lawyer, May 7, 2018.

“A New Frontier: Compliance Audit Committees and the New Changes to the Municipal Elections Act, 1996,” 7 Digest of Municipal & Planning Law (2d) (December 2016) No. 24, pp. 1-6.

“Municipal Authority, Cooperative Federalism and Snail Mail Delivery,” 8 Digest of Municipal & Planning Law (2d) (January 2017) No. 1, pp. 1-7.

Insights

Education

  • JD, University of Ottawa, 2015
  • BA (Hons.), University of Toronto, 2010
  • Programme Internationale, Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po), 2008

Expertise

Municipal & Land Use Planning