David Tang

David Tang practises both Municipal/Land Development & Planning Law and Charities & Not-For-Profit Law; often where those two disciplines intersect.

David provides strategy and advice to landowners and appears regularly before the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal, the Assessment Review Board, and the courts. He proactively advises on property taxation matters, with a particular emphasis on exemptions and other strategies for charities. He deals regularly with provincial and municipal governments, representing developers, businesses, landowners, and municipalities. David often assists landowners and businesses in protecting their investments and activities.

David enjoys exploring and where appropriate challenging the extent of municipal powers as exercised through by-laws and enforcement activities. He has advised on municipal restructuring and boundary adjustments, various types of licensing issues, conflicts of interest, constitutional limitations, discrimination, and municipal charges and revenue opportunities. He has assisted municipalities and related entities to structure entities for specialized purposes such as energy generation and distribution, housing, and social infrastructure. Of particular interest to David is the structuring of mutually beneficial relationships between not-for-profit/charitable organizations and municipalities to advance societal purposes.

David provides a full range of advice to charities and not-for-profit groups. He has particular expertise with religious organizations, structuring relationships and affiliations between Canadian and international charities, charities entering into property development arrangements, charity governance and ensuring charities comply with all of the laws which are unique to them, their boards, and their members. David has frequently advised charities on the resolution of internal and external disputes.

David has particular expertise in when charities and not-for-profit organizations want to deal with their land. His experience permits him to navigate with his clients courses through the potential conflicts between the business and regulatory aspects of real estate development and the demands charity law and the Canadian Revenue Agency impose on registered charities and not-for-profit organizations.

Other aspects of professional life

David has also lectured and taught at post-secondary institutions, including Tyndale University; York University; Seneca College, courses for the Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks and Treasurers of Ontario and with various professional/bar associations in both Canada and the United States.

David has served as the Chair of the Nonprofit Organizations Committee of the American Bar Association and on the executive of both the Municipal Law and Charities Law Sections of the Ontario Bar Association.

Community engagement

David volunteers with a variety of organizations in various capacities from organizing fundraising events, to relief organ playing at St. Luke’s Anglican Church in Burnt River, to serving as Parliamentarian. He has served as a director or trustee of various charities over the years, including Intervarsity Christian Fellowship of Canada, Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, an American 501(c)(3), and with his local church, Immanuel Baptist Church.