CrosstownHelp™: BridgePoint Financial announces Expropriation and Business-Loss Consulting for those affected by delayed LRT project

CrosstownHelp™: BridgePoint Financial announces Expropriation and Business-Loss Consulting for those affected by delayed LRT project

TORONTOAug. 20, 2020 /CNW/ – In response to the more than 3,000 small businesses negatively affected by the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project, BridgePoint Financial has launched CrosstownHelpTM, an expropriation and business-loss consulting and financing program to help recoup losses and restore financial and business stability to those impacted by the delayed infrastructure project. BridgePoint Financial provides businesses with access to legal representation, expert advice, and financing that business owners can use for working capital, relocation costs, or to pay for the costs of litigation allowing them to withstand the negative financial effects of the government’s actions. “BridgePoint Financial launched CrosstownHelpTM to educate businesses and provide them with the guidance and financial support they need to pursue expropriation claims and receive the fair compensation they are entitled to,” said John Rossos, Co-founder and Principal of BridgePoint Financial Services Inc. “The cost of expropriation is significant, and while the Eglinton LRT is a much-needed infrastructure project, hundreds of businesses have received substantially less than fair value to cover the loss and interruption of business.” Unfortunately, the Eglinton Crosstown LRT project, as with many road construction projects, has come at a big cost to business owners who often have to borrow, relocate or close down altogether. The Ontario Expropriation Act provides that businesses will receive fair compensation for business interruption, relocation and ancillary costs, and loss of business and goodwill. To date, $6.6 million has been given to Business Improvement Areas for marketing, parking, and maintenance support, while the Province of Ontario recently announced $3 million to support the areas impacted by the construction. “For small business owners operating along Eglinton Avenue, the transit project is a threat to their livelihood,” added Rossos. “In many cases, these business owners feel intimidated and aren’t aware of their options or that they have any.  BridgePoint’s goal is to give businesses the best opportunity to level the playing field to advance their claims.” BridgePoint’s consulting services provide access to the best expropriation expertise across Canada and allow business owners to hire top lawyers and experts without being forced to settle for less due to cash flow related issues, assuming full recoverability of costs from the government. BridgePoint will also provide businesses with financing to assist with:
  • Costs associated with loss of revenue including legal and expert fees or business relocation;
  • Costs due to business interruption including working capital to stabilize the business, preserve goodwill and cover damages; and
  • Access to the best legal representation and expert advice including experts in expropriation and funding to pay for those costs.
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT is one of the largest transit projects in Canada and, once completed, will include 25 stops along a 19km corridor across Eglinton Avenue in Toronto. Since construction began in 2011, more than 140 businesses along Eglinton Avenue West have closed. Recently, the City of Toronto announced that construction will continue well into 2022. About BridgePoint Financial
BridgePoint Financial is Canada’s leading provider of specialized financing solutions for the Canadian legal services market, addressing the needs of plaintiffs, lawyers, and the experts involved in advancing legal claims. BridgePoint’s goal is to level the litigation playing field and to protect its clients’ rights to full and fair access to justice. For more information about the expropriation consulting and financing services available from BridgePoint Financial, visit crosstownhelp.com.
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New North Litigation Capital Launches, Backed by £50 Million in Senior Secured Financing from Pollen Street Capital

By John Freund |

Pollen Street Capital ("Pollen Street") today announces a new senior secured credit facility of up to £50 million to New North Litigation Capital (“New North”). New North is a commercial litigation finance company and a direct subsidiary of Capital Law, a Cardiff based law firm founded in 2006.

Capital Law has a strong track record in commercial litigation, having closed over 400 claimant cases since 2001 with a 95% win rate. Drawing on its senior leadership and experienced disputes team, Capital Law launched New North to address the underserved small to mid-market segment of commercial litigation market. 

New North will be the only litigation financier in the UK owned and operated by practicing lawyers, bringing their day to day lived experience of handling mid-market litigation into pricing the risk and the funding investment decisions.

Christopher Nott, Founder and CEO of New North commented: “We are pleased to work with Pollen Street on this financing to launch New North Litigation Capital. The funding supports us to bridge a critical gap by funding claims that are often deemed too small by other players in the market. We are excited to work with the Pollen Street team as we create this new kind of litigation funding.”

Connor Marshall-Mckie, Investment Director at Pollen Street, commented:New North addresses an important gap in the litigation funding space, focusing on smaller mid-market commercial litigation. With the significant opportunity available and the deep experience of the leadership team from Capital Law we are excited to partner with the team to support their growth.”

About Pollen Street

Pollen Street is a fast-growing and high-performing private capital asset manager. Established in 2013, the firm has built deep capability across the real estate, financial and business services sectors aligned with mega-trends shaping the future of the industry. Pollen Street manages over €7bn AUM across private equity and credit strategies on behalf of investors including leading public and corporate pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and foundations, asset managers, banks, and family offices from around the world. Pollen Street has a team of over 95 professionals.

Burford’s Q2 Profits Surge on New Capital

By John Freund |

Burford Capital has delivered its strongest quarterly performance in two years, buoyed by a swelling pipeline of high-value disputes and a fresh infusion of investor cash.

A press release in PR Newswire reveals that the New York- and London-listed funder more than doubled revenue and profitability in the three months to 30 June 2025. CEO Christopher Bogart credited “very substantial levels of new business” for the uptick, noting that demand for non-recourse financing remains “as strong as we’ve ever seen.”

The stellar quarter follows a lightning-quick, two-day debt offering in July that raised $500 million—capital Burford says will be deployed across a growing roster of commercial litigations, international arbitrations, and asset-recovery campaigns. Management also highlighted significant progress in portfolio rotations, underscoring the firm’s ability to monetise older positions while writing new ones at scale. Investors will get a deeper dive when Burford hosts its earnings call today at 9 a.m. EDT.

Burford’s results arrive amid heightened regulatory chatter in Washington and Westminster, yet the numbers suggest the industry’s largest player is unfazed—for now—by talk of disclosure mandates and tax levies. The firm emphasised that its legal-finance, risk-management and asset-recovery businesses remain uncorrelated to broader markets, a pitch that continues to resonate with pension funds and endowments hunting for alternative yield.

For litigation-finance insiders, Burford’s capital-raising prowess and improving margins could have ripple effects: rival funders may face stiffer competition for marquee cases, while law-firm partners might leverage the firm’s deeper pockets to negotiate richer portfolio deals.

International Legal Finance Association (ILFA) Announces End of Year Gala and Inaugural Legal Finance Awards

By John Freund |

 The International Legal Finance Association is pleased to announce its annual End-of-Year Gala Dinner on November 13, 2025.  The event will take place at The Law Society in London, bringing together leading figures from across the legal finance industry for an evening of celebration and reflection on the year’s achievements.  

The dinner will be accompanied by the inaugural Legal Finance Awards.  The awards are designed to recognize and honor excellence across the legal finance ecosystem. They will spotlight the achievements of funders, law firms, brokers, advisors, and other key contributors to the continued growth and innovation of the industry. Nominations for the awards are now open, with the nomination form available here

“The Gala Dinner is a chance for our members and guests to gather in person and celebrate the progress we've made over the year,” said Rupert Cunningham, Global Director of Growth and Membership Engagement at ILFA. “We are especially excited to launch the Legal Finance Awards, which will shine a light on the outstanding work and impact of professionals across our field.”

Tickets for the Gala are on sale now, with discounted pricing available for ILFA members.  More information can be found here.