2026 Sun Life Tomorrow’s Leader Award Finalist

Justin DeMerchant is Vice‑President, Commercial & Legal at Crosslinx Transit Solutions and AtkinsRéalis. He played a central leadership role in delivering the recently opened Eglinton Crosstown LRT, one of Canada’s largest and most complex transit infrastructure projects, guiding legal, commercial, and financial strategy from construction through the commencement of operations.

Called to the Ontario bar in 2017, Justin has progressed through increasingly senior roles at Crosslinx, where he has led multidisciplinary legal, commercial, and finance teams supporting a multi‑billion‑dollar infrastructure program. He advises boards and senior executives on complex disputes, procurement and contract administration, governance, risk management, and large‑scale commercial negotiations involving public‑sector counterparties, contractors, and consortium partners.

Justin is recognized for sound judgment under pressure, a calm and pragmatic leadership style, and an ability to align diverse stakeholders toward durable, solutions‑focused outcomes on matters of significant public, commercial, and reputational importance.

He was named one of On‑Site Magazine’s 40 Under 40 in Canadian Construction in 2020 and chairs the University of New Brunswick Law Class of 2010 Scholarship Fund, supporting access to legal education and the next generation of legal professionals.