Olga Rivkin

Olga is licenced in BC and Yukon. She is an experienced solicitor, attentive to client needs, nuanced and detailed in her approach. She advises local governments and other public entities on a variety of topics, including land development, subdivision, real estate, highways, remediation, water, infrastructure and general day to day operations.

Olga has represented local governments in numerous negotiations, drafted a variety of agreements and assisted with project management. In all matters, Olga endeavors to provide practical advice and make complex matters clear and simple.

Olga publishes and presents extensively on issues of importance to local governments.

EDUCATION

• The Mediation and Conflict Management Seminar, Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School, Spring 2021
• The Negotiation and Dispute Resolution Seminar, Program on Negotiation, Harvard Law School, Fall 2020
• Foundations of Collaborative Conflict Resolution, Justice Institute of British Columbia, March 2020
• LLB (With Distinction), University of Ottawa, 2004
• Masters level courses on International Affairs and Public Administration at Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, 2002-2003
• BA (Honours), Political Science, York University, 2000

MEMBERSHIPS AND AFFILIATIONS

• Law Society of Yukon

RECENT REPRESENTATIVE WORK

Advised on subdivision and development matters, including air space subdivision, bare land subdivision, phased strata subdivision, spot zoning, pre-zoning, density bonus and community amenity contributions, the use and subdivision of land in the Agricultural Land Reserve, the use and development of foreshore properties and riparian lands

Drafted and negotiated development documents, including phased development and master development agreements, restrictive covenants, statutory rights of way, reciprocal access easements, servicing agreements, good neighbour agreements, land exchange agreements, highway closure bylaws and other documents which come up during complex development from time to time

Drafted and negotiated long term and short term leases for local governments, as landlords and as tenants. Some key projects include a 40-year lease for an art gallery (local government as a landlord); airport leases (buildings and lands); lease of a portion of a local government works yard for use by a rescue society; and lease back following disposition of local government lands

Advised on issues related to supplying drinking water and licensing the use of surface and ground water

Assisted on remediation, disposition and redevelopment of a number of old municipal works yard sites and former sewage lagoons

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS

The Digest of Municipal & Planning Law

• ”British Columbia Building Act and the Importance of Regulations” (2015) 7 DMPL (2nd) pp 13
• ”Metro Vancouver’s Waste Woes” (2015) 7 DMPL (2nd) pp 13
• ”What is this zoning worth to you?”: British Columbia’s attempt to control voluntary amenity contributions” (2014) 6 DMPL (2nd) pp 13

Municipal World:

• “PILT – What’s in a name…collecting property taxes for federal properties”, December 2016
• “Supplying British Columbia’s Drinking Water”, August 2016
• “The Future of Agricultural Land in British Columbia”, December 2015
• “The Road Ahead Challenges of undedicated and unopened roads”, June 2015 & 44
• “The Worth of Water British Columbia’s take on groundwater regulation”, November 2014

Continuing Legal Education

• “The What, When and How of Subdivision Dedications”, 2016
• “Water Sustainability Act”, 2015.
• “Accountability Through Visibility: Re-evaluating the Open Meeting Rule” Local Government Law, 2014 (with Kathleen Higgins)
• “Where Does It All Go? Regulation of Garbage and Recycling in British Columbia” Local Government Law, 2014

PBLI

• “Planes, Trains, and Legal Domains”, 2015

Other Recent Presentations

• Environmental Management Association – building near the shore and in flood plain areas, November 2016
• Environmental Management Association – remediation agreements, May 2016
• BC Waste & Water Association – dealing with turbidity in drinking water, May 2016
• Union of BC Municipalities, CAO breakfast – update on Water Sustainability Act, 2016