Matt Mortazavi
Academic Qualification
Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Master of Laws (LL.M.), Specialization in Energy and Infrastructure Laws
Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, Master of Laws (LL.M.), Specialization in Global Business Law with Concentration in Construction
University of Waterloo, Master’s Degree (M.A.Sc.) in Civil Engineering, Specialization in Construction and Project Management
University of Waterloo, Honors Degree (B.A.Sc.) in Civil Engineering
Carleton University, Former Candidate for Bachelor (B.Eng.) in Mechanical Engineering
Professional Designation and Memberships
ADR Institute of Canada, Chartered Arbitrator, C.Arb.
ARCANA – ADR Institute of Alberta, Qualified and Practicing Construction Adjudicator, Q. Adj
Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), London, UK & Canada, FCIArb
Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (AIADR), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Certified Adjudicator, C. Adj – Construction
Worshipful Company of Arbitrators, City of London, England, Freeman of the Company
Institute of Construction Claims Practitioner, Isle of Man, UK, Fellow of the Institute – FICCP, Claims Practitioners – Claims Consultant
Swiss Arbitration Association – Member
Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects – Practicing Member
Professional Engineer Designation, P.Eng. in Ontario, Alberta and British Colombia.
Websites
www.mortazavi-inc.ca www.merlionconstructors.ca
https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-mortazavi-m-a-sc-ll-m-c-arb-c-adj-fciarb-ficcp-sia-p-eng-aaa57925/
Summary of Qualification & Experiences
Matt Mortazavi has 35+ years of hands-on experience in general contracting, construction, and project management. He has extensive experience in residential (low and high-rise), infrastructures such as railway transit, underground services, roads, highways, and ICI development projects as well as in the areas of health, and civil defense projects. To date, scopes of projects have ranged from small to large-scale projects with construction budgets ranging from $50,000 to $250.0 million. Mortazavi’s experience extends further into and in particularly in construction risk management, forensic construction/engineering investigation, procurement and claim analysis, negotiation, delay claim preparation and rebuttal, contract preparation and construction dispute resolutions by way of mediation, referee, construction adjudication (English and Canadian Construction Adjudication Act) and arbitration.
He is a licensed professional civil engineer in the British Colombia, Alberta, and Ontario. His practice and company, Mortazavi Construction Consulting Inc. are registered in both provinces and with their engineering regulatory bodies to practice engineering. The firm is holder of Permit to Practice with APEGA as well as holder of Certificate of Authorization with PEO. Matt is a member of the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects authorized to practice engineering and in particular in three sections, International, Geneva and Zurich.
Matt is a Qualified and Practicing Construction Adjudicator with ARCANA, a division of ADR Institute of Alberta construction adjudication nominating body. He is on the Alberta roster of Construction Adjudicators. Matt is a Certified Adjudicator and Fellow by invitation of Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (FAIADR) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He is member of the Dispute Resolution Board (DRB) Foundation in United States of America. Matt is a Fellow and an Accredited Construction Adjudicator at the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in London, UK and its Canada Branch and he is on the committee of Construction Adjudication Program. He received his Construction Adjudication training in London and was awarded a post graduate diploma. In April 2019, he was elected as member of the board of directors at CIArb – Canada Branch. Additionally, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Construction Claims Practitioner (FICCP) and he is on the Registered Panel of Claims Practitioner of the Institute. Matt is on the approved list of Expert Mediators with the Government of Canada and he is a Chartered Arbitrator with the ADR Institute of Canada. He is on the approved roster of Referees with the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and the Ontario Road Builders Association. Matt is a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators in the City of London, England. He is member of the Swiss Arbitration Association.
Matt has successfully completed at least 80 construction mediation on contract change orders. These mediations dealt with disputes related to contract interpretation of infrastructure, architectural, structural, electrical, and mechanical matters for which an evaluation and assessment of disputed change orders were implemented.
Matt has conducted at least 35+ binding arbitrations, construction adjudication and referees in the last three (3) years. The disputes were of contract interpretation nature related to residential (low and high-rise), underground infrastructures, architectural, electrical, mechanical, and structural. He has provided numerous “Expert Opinion” reports and letters on construction and contract interpretation matters related to residential, ICI and heavy construction projects. He has performed thirteen (13) Construction Adjudication disputes in the Province of Ontario.
Matt was engaged by the Corporation of the County of Simcoe for its construction project management expertise and services on a $273 million project from January 2021 to September 2023.
As construction claim consultant and practitioner, Matt has prepared delay claims for general contractors as well as for trade contractors. These claims are well in the millions of dollars. Furthermore, Matt has been engaged on several occasions as an expert to provide expert reports on technical construction/engineering related matter as well as construction contract interpretation. Furthermore, as a sub-consultant to MMM Group, Matt was engaged as construction claim consultant/analyst by Toronto Transit Commission on a $240.0 million-dollar construction project to act as the gate keeper against construction claims and responding/handling the claims through contract interpretation. This was a day-to-day assignment for a period of almost two (2) years with AECOM as the designer and the contract administrator.
In August 2021, Matt was appointed as the Arbitrator and the Expert to deliver binding decision on two major construction disputes under the same contract. The matters were concluded in December 2022. Matt was engaged from January 2019 to February 2024 as an expert to prepare an expert opinion report for a matter that is currently in litigation for a disputed amount in the neighbourhood of $14 million.
On June 26, 2023, Matt was invited as an expert panelist to speak at the United Nations in Geneva at the AI – Global Forum on the topic – Artificial Intelligence as a Double Edge Sword: Risks to the SDGs goals posed using AI, in particular UN goals no. 8, 9 and 17.
Matt is an adjunct professor at George Brown College at Centre for Construction and Engineering Technologies. He has been teaching construction law and contracts since January 2013, on as required basis. He structured the Construction Business Management course in September 2017 and teaches the course on as required basis. He was on the Durham College Program Advisory Committee for the inception of the 3-year Construction Management degree program which is currently active in its 1st semester as well as guest lecturer, giving lectures on Construction Law.
Matt has given seminars on construction law and contracts to several government organizations such as the County of Simcoe, City of Hamilton, Limestone District School Boards, and many more. In addition to his business practice and academic involvement, Matt is a member of the Board of Directors at the Toronto French School – Canada’s International School and Chairperson of the Sustainability and Property committee of the school. His function is to advice, recommend and guide the senior school management on construction related projects and more specifically on the current $65.0 million expansion at the Mississauga and Toronto campuses. He was an honorary member and advisor to the Korean Canadian Business Association.
Matt was employed by Koh Brothers Group in Singapore from 1997 to 1999. Matt was the construction and project manager for the Singapore’s Civil Defense Academy Camp in Jalan Bahar. This project dealt with the construction of Fire Fighters and Paramedic training facilities and grounds. Matt completed the project on time and with favorable profit. Matt has an excellent knowledge and is familiar with Singapore’s overall culture as well as business culture, ethics and laws governing businesses.
Matt Mortazavi is bilingual in English and French. He has sufficient knowledge of spoken and written Spanish to conduct day to day conversation at moderate level.
