Joshua Strub

Partner

jstrub@margiestrub.com

D. (289) 778-0971

C. (647) 924-2264

Joshua is a prominent construction lawyer with a unique combination of private practice and in-
house experience, underscored by his civil engineering background. This expertise enables him
to address complex construction challenges with precision and deliver tailored legal solutions.
His technical knowledge, strategic insight, and industry leadership make him a go-to advisor for
complex legal issues in construction.

Josh’s practice spans the construction lifecycle, from advice on the best project delivery model;
procurement, contract drafting and negotiations; course-of-project advice and claim
management; to dispute resolution. While his practice spans all construction verticals, he has
particular expertise in large-scale design-build projects, including complex transit infrastructure
projects.

Joshua co-founded Margie Strub Construction Law in 2020 and has grown it to be recognized by
the Globe and Mail and Statista as one of Canada’s best law firms for construction law. He has
also earned accolades from Best Lawyers, Lexpert, Benchmark Litigation, and from Thomson
Reuters as a Stand-Out Lawyer. His ability to deliver results has earned him the trust and loyalty
of his clients, particularly those managing high-value, technically challenging projects.

Prior to founding his firm, Joshua managed nationwide legal affairs for Canada’s largest track
and signal construction provider. It was there that Josh gained a deep understanding and
expertise in collaborative contracting (such as Alliance Contracting) and dispute resolution
strategies. Before going in-house, Josh worked at a boutique construction litigation firm where
he represented clients in large and complex disputes ranging up to $1 billion.

Joshua is also a dedicated educator and speaker, frequently presenting at industry conferences
and teaching the Construction Law course he co-founded at Western Law.

Experience

Representative Work

Bidding, Procurement, and Contracting
  • Collaborative/Alliance Contracting and Progressive Design-Build
    • Lead counsel for OneUnion Alliance in pursuit of the alliance contract for the
      Union Station Enhancement Project
    • Counsel to a consulting firm providing advice to proponents of the High Speed 2
      (HS2) Project in the UK, involving NEC3 contracts between HS2 and the selected
      proponents as well as an overarching alliance agreement between HS2 and the
      14+ selected proponents
    • Counsel to an underground mining company selected for a collaborative
      contract in the nuclear energy industry
    • Counsel to consortiums involved in progressive design-build transit projects
  • Contract Strategy and Contract Drafting
    • Provided advice to numerous developers on the best contract structure to drive
      value and limit risk to the developer, both when performing construction in-
      house and when contracting to a third party contractor/construction manager
    • Prepared and negotiated both bespoke contracts and supplementary conditions
      to CCDC contracts for a wide range of projects
  • Subcontracting and Procurement
    • Developed a suite of subcontracts for use by a large specialty contractor to
      address various subcontract relationships and risk profiles, inclusive of multiple
      options for provisions that could be modified to suit the needs of the specific
      relationship
    • Developed suites of subcontracts, consulting agreements, and purchase orders
      for use by design-build transit consortiums
    • Developed procurement forms for procuring proposals and prices from
      subcontractors and vendors
  • Partnerships and Joint Ventures
    • Developed and negotiated a partnership agreement between an EPC contractor
      and a track installation trade along with the subcontract between the EPC
      contractor and the partnership for a new 40km+ LRT project in Quebec
    • Developed and negotiated a joint venture agreement for the pursuit of a
      regional rail transit project in Ontario
    • Developed and negotiated teaming agreements and memorandums of
      understanding for pursuits of design-build projects
  • Operations and Maintenance
    • Negotiated extensions to long-term track and signal maintenance agreements
      for regional rail transit in Ontario
    • Represented a client in pursuit of a subcontract for the long-term maintenance
      of the track and signal system of a new LRT project
  • Residential Development
    • Counsel for numerous developers negotiating fixed price contracts, construction
      management agreements, and design services agreements, for various
      condominium and retirement home development projects
  • Commercial and Industrial Development
    • Counsel for developers in negotiating and restructuring construction
      management and design services agreements for development of various
      commercial and industrial facilities
Dispute Advisory

  • Lead counsel for a design-build consortium, providing course-of-project claims and
    dispute advice and services in respect of both upstream and downstream issues,
    including substantial delays, cost overruns, supply chain and COVID-19 impacts

  • Lead counsel in an ICC arbitration related to delays, productivity losses, abandonment
    and termination between a design-build contractor and a subcontractor

  • Lead counsel in an ad-hoc arbitration relating to delays, change in conditions, and
    disputed extras associated with a subcontractor’s installation for an LRT project

  • Lead counsel in an ad-hoc arbitration relating to delays and disputed extras associated
    with a design-build subcontract for an operations, maintenance, and storage facility

  • Lead counsel in an ad-hoc arbitration of delay and cost overruns claims related to
    system integration of a microprocessor-based fixed-block signalling system

  • Lead counsel in a dispute related to duct bank installations on an LRT project

  • Lead counsel in a dispute between a structural steel subcontractor and a design-builder
    of a large entertainment facility

  • Lead counsel for a subcontractor in a dispute with an LRT consortium related to delayed
    handover of grade in the construction of a maintenance and storage facility

  • Lead counsel for a subcontractor in a dispute with an LRT consortium related to delayed
    handover of grade and concrete finishing issues for embedded rail on mainline transit
    track construction

  • Lead counsel for a track construction joint venture related to management of delay and
    disruption claims on an LRT project

  • Lead counsel for a track and signalling contractor in a dispute concerning the Union
    Pearson Express Project, related to track construction issues, design deficiencies, system
    integration (between a platform edge door system and the train control system), and
    delay claims

  • Counsel for a tunneling contractor in a dispute with Metrolinx related to the tunneling
    of the western portions of the Eglinton Crosstown

  • Counsel for an EPCM contractor in an ad-hoc arbitration in defence of a $1Bn+ delay
    and additional cost claim related to a mineral processing facility

  • Counsel for a general mechanical contractor in an international UNCITRAL arbitration, in
    defence of a $220M delay and additional cost claim related to a sour gas processing
    facility

Select Reported Cases

Awards and Recognition

Professional Contributions

  • Ontario Bar Association, Multiple Section Executives, Currently CPD Liason for Construction and
    Infrastructure
  • Canadian Bar Association, Construction and Infrastructure Law Section, Member-at-Large,
  • Western University, Faculty of Law, Co-Founder and Adjunct Professor, Construction Law
    Course
  • Transit Rail Association for Canadian Contractors, Maintainers and Standards (TRACCS),
    Associate Director
  • Camp Ramah in Canada, Former Board Member; Former Chair, Facilities and Physical Plant
    Committee; Former Chair, Governance Committee

Speaking and Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • Panelist, Transit Project Progress and Lessons Learned: Status Report on Major Transit Projects
    in Ontario and Quebec, Canadian Institute 11th Annual Urban Transit Infrastructure Symposium,
    Eastern Canada, May 29, 2025
  • Program Chair, Nailing Down the Key Issues for Getting Projects Built in Ontario, Ontario Bar
    Association, November 27, 2024
  • Panelist, The Canadian Institute, 17th National Conference on Navigating Risk in Construction
    Contracts & Projects: Mastering Supplementary Conditions and Change Orders to Avoid the
    “Franken” Contract, Resolve Disputes and Prevent Legal Action, 2025
  • Panelist, Construction Superconference: Concurrent Delays: Take the Time, I’m Not Paying a
    Dime, 2024
  • Speaker, Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors 2024 Congress: The Real Public Private
    Partnership: Alliancing, 2024
  • Panelist, Canadian Institute, 16th National Conference on Navigating Risk in Construction
    Contracts & Projects: Uncovering the Core Features of Integrated Project Delivery, Alliance, and
    Progressive Design Build: A Blueprint for Critically Assessing the Suitability of These Contracts for
    Your Project, 2024
  • Panelist, Canadian Bar Association, Construction and Infrastructure Law Conference 2023:
    Current Trends in Mid-Project Dispute Resolution, 2023
  • Panelist, Canadian Institute, 7th Annual Conference on Managing Risk in Construction Contracts
    & Projects, Eastern Canada Edition: Mastering the Use of Experts in ADR and Litigation, 2023
  • Workshop Panelist, Canadian Institute, 7th Annual Conference on Managing Risk in Construction
    Contracts & Projects, Eastern Canada Edition: Art of Construction Contract Negotiations, 2023
  • Panelist, Construction Superconference: The Real Public Private Partnership: Alliancing, the
    Future for Complex Infrastructure Projects, 2022
  • Panelist, Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors 2024 Congress: Lessons Learned from
    Alternative Finance and P3 Projects in Canada, 2022
  • Panelist, Transit Rail Association for Canadian Contractors, Maintainers and Standards: Alliance
    Contracting – Pros, Cons, and Lessons Learnt, 2021
  • Panelist, The Canadian Institute, 13th Annual National Symposium on Managing Risk in
    Construction Contracts & Projects: Think Tank on Effective Project Management in a COVID Era
    – From Force Majeure to Defending Against Delays and Impact-Related Claims, 2021
  • Podcast Guest, Wealth Navigator Podcast – Construction Law and Real Estate Investing with
    Josh Strub, 2021
  • Co-Speaker, Ontario Bar Association, Construction Law Primer: Common Issues that Lead to
    Disputes and Claims, 2020
  • Panelist, Ontario Bar Association and Canadian Corporate Counsel Association: Industry Focus
    for In-House Counsel – Construction, 2019
  • Panelist, Construction Superconference: Gold Standard in Forensic Scheduling Analysis, 2019
  • Panelist, Canadian College of Construction Lawyers: Implications of USMCA on the Construction
    Industry, 2019
  • Podcast Guest, Building Insights: Episode 11, Prompt Payment, 2019
  • Panelist, Canadian Bar Association Construction Law Section Conference on P3s: Procurement in
    Public Infrastructure Projects, 2018
  • Panelist, Construction Superconference: Liquidated Damages, An Evolving Landscape, 2018
  • Panelist, Construction Superconference: Leveraging the In-House and Outside Counsel
    Relationship, 2016

Select Publications

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Education and Admissions

Education

  • University of Western Ontario, Juris Doctor, 2014
  • University of Western Ontario, Bachelor of Engineering Science, Civil and Environmental
    Engineering, 2014

Bar Admission and Certifications

  • Ontario Bar, 2015