Colena Der

Colena’s practice focuses on advising Canadian and foreign-based clients on the taxation of mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganizations and employee and executive compensation matters, with an emphasis on the resource, emerging companies and technology sectors.  Her tax practice also includes the settlement of tax disputes with the Canada Revenue Agency.

Colena is a member of the Canadian Bar Association, Calgary Bar Association, the Canadian Tax Foundation and the Canadian Petroleum Tax Society. She was a former member of the Canadian Tax Foundation – Young Practitioners’ Steering Committee (Calgary) and the Past-Chair of the Executive Committee of the Canadian Bar Association’s Taxation Specialists (South). 

In 2022 Colena was recognized by Lexpert as one of Canada’s Rising Stars: Canada’s Leading Lawyers Under 40. The Lexpert Rising Stars awards recognize private practice and in-house lawyers who are emerging leaders in the Canadian legal community. Winners are selected by a distinguished advisory board, which considers the contributions that nominees make to their firm, company or department, as well as to the profession and larger community.


Representative Work

  • M3-Brigade Acquisition III Corp.

    M3-Brigade Acquisition III Corp. in its US$950 million business combination with Greenfire Resources Inc.

  • KKR and AIMCo

    KKR and AIMCo in the amendment of the partnership and related agreements in respect of their equity investment in the $11.2B Coastal GasLink Pipeline

  • Amarillo Gold Corp.

    Amarillo Gold Corp. in its acquisition by Hochschild Mining PLC

  • Xero

    Xero in its acquisition of TaxCycle

  • OpenChannel

    OpenChannel in its acquisition by Stripe

  • Microsoft

    Microsoft in its acquisition of Two Hat

  • Canadian Natural Resources Limited

    Canadian Natural Resources Limited in the restructuring of the North West Redwater Refinery

  • Genesis Fertilizers

    Genesis Fertilizers in its partnership formation and equity capital raise to develop a 700,000 metric tonne urea plant and six distribution facilities in Western Canada at an estimated $1.7 billion

  • Golder Associates Corporation

    Golder Associates Corporation in its $1.5 billion acquisition by WSP

  • 2223890 Alberta Ltd.

    2223890 Alberta Ltd. in its $195 million go-private transaction with Rocky Mountain Dealerships Inc.

  • Radian Capital

    Radian Capital in its lead investment in Boast.ai's $30 million Series A financing round

  • NewSpring Capital

    NewSpring Capital in MacroHealth's $54 million Series A financing round

  • Newterra Group Ltd.

    Newterra Group Ltd. in its acquisition by Frontenac

  • Delphi Energy Corp.

    Delphi Energy Corp. in its restructuring transaction under the CCAA

  • Husky Energy Inc.

    Husky Energy Inc. in its $1.25 billion public offering

  • ESC Corporate Services

    ESC Corporate Services in its acquisition of Paragon

  • Fairhaven Pharmaceuticals

    Fairhaven Pharmaceuticals in its acquisition by Liminal BioSciences

  • Raymond James Ltd.

    The underwriters in the US$45.54 million cross-border secondary offering of common shares of Maverix Metals Inc. by Pan American Silver Corp.

  • KKR

    Acting for KKR and AIMCo in their joint acquisition of a combined 65% equity interest from TC Energy in the $6.8B Coastal GasLink Pipeline Project

  • The Syndicate of Agents

    The syndicate of agents in Canadian Pacific Railway’s $300 million Canadian offering

  • The Underwriters

    The Underwriters in Canadian Pacific Railway’s US$500 million offering

  • Quicken Loans

    Quicken Loans and Rock Holdings in Edison Financial’s Preferred Round

  • Greengate Power Corporation

    Greengate Power Corporation in its agreement with Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners to develop Travers Solar – Canada’s largest operating solar energy project

  • Steel Reef Infrastructure Corp.

    Steel Reef Infrastructure Corp. in its $500 million acquisition of natural gas infrastructure assets from Crescent Point Energy Corp.

  • ScribbleLive

    ScribbleLive in its acquisition by Rock Content

  • ScribbleLive Rock Content in its acquisition of ScribbleLive
  • Mitel Networks on its acquisition of Aastra Technologies
  • Angle Energy Inc. In its proposed $576 million acquisition by Bellatrix Exploration Ltd.
  • Total E&P Canada Ltd. on the agreement to sell its 49% interest in the Voyageur Upgrader Limited Partnership to Suncor Energy Inc.
  • Greengate Power Corporation on all aspects of the development of the 300 MW Blackspring Ridge Wind Project and the sale of the Blackspring Ridge Project to Enbridge Inc. and EDF EN Canada Inc.
  • Golden Crescent Investments Ltd., an affiliate of Citadel Capital, in its proposed sale of National Petroleum Company Egypt Limited, to Sea Dragon Energy Inc.
  • SCF Partners in its acquisition of Integrated Production Services
  • Thule Group of Sweden on its acquisition of Chariot Carriers
  • Glam Media Inc. In its cross border acquisition of BBS Media
  • Investment Technology Group, Inc. In its $38.5 million acquisition of a private independent research brokerage firm
  • Temple Energy Inc. In its “merger of equals” with Cequence Energy Ltd.
  • Kulczyk Oil Ventures Inc. In its European initial public offering and acquisition of Triton Hydrocarbons Pty Ltd., an Australian company

Latest Insights

  • Osler Update Apr 18, 2024

    Clean energy tax incentives in Budget 2024

    Budget 2024 includes tax incentives to support the adoption of clean energy technology and Canada’s net-zero commitments, including investment tax cre...

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    Clean energy tax incentives in Budget 2024
  • Webinar Apr 18, 2024

    Canadian Tax Law Insights: The 2024 federal budget and its implications for Canadian businesses

    Our National Tax Group lead an in-depth discussion of the 2024 federal budget and what it means for your business.

    Read more
    Canadian Tax Law Insights: The 2024 federal budget and its implications for Canadian businesses
  • Osler Update Dec 4, 2023

    Canada introduces legislation to implement clean technology and carbon capture tax credits and provides update on remaining clean energy tax credits

    The Canadian federal government has introduced an implementation bill and provided further details of its clean energy initiatives.

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    Canada introduces legislation to implement clean technology and carbon capture tax credits and provides update on remaining clean energy tax credits
  • Webinar Sep 5, 2023

    Canadian Tax Law Insights: Clean Energy Measures – Updates and Draft Legislation

    Join members of our Tax and Energy teams for an in-depth discussion of the clean energy measures in this legislation package and how they might impact...

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    Canadian Tax Law Insights: Clean Energy Measures – Updates and Draft Legislation
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Awards and Recognition

  • International Tax Review: Recognized in Women in Tax as a Highly Regarded lawyer
  • Best Lawyers in Canada: Recognized in Tax Law
  • Lexpert Rising Stars: Recognized as a Rising Star
  • The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory: Recognized in Corporate Tax

Media Mentions

  • Osler News Aug 25, 2023

    Osler recognized as a Tier 1 firm in ITR’s World Tax Guide 2024

    Osler is proud to once again be recognized as a Tier 1 firm in the 2024 edition of the International Tax Review’s World Tax guide. Additionally, 19 of...

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  • Osler News Nov 23, 2022

    Lauren Tomasich and Colena Der named 2022 Lexpert Rising Stars

    Congratulations to Osler partners Lauren Tomasich and Colena Der on being named Lexpert Rising Stars for 2022! The awards recognize emerging leaders i...

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  • Media Mentions Nov 2, 2022

    Stock Options: Topical Issues and Recent Developments – CPTS 2022 Fall Lecture Series

    The $200,000 cap on certain stock option tax deductions was among the topics covered by Dov Begun and Colena Der during a recent virtual seminar prese...

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  • Osler News Oct 4, 2021

    Osler recognized as a Tier 1 firm in ITR’s World Tax Guide 2022

    Osler has maintained its Tier 1 rankings in ITR’s World Tax Guide with 18 lawyers recognized as leaders in their field.

    Read more
View all

Speaking and Writing

Speaking Engagements

speaker 11/5/2024
Doing Business with First Nations – Tax Efficient Structuring
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speaker 18/4/2024
Canadian Tax Law Insights: The 2024 federal budget and its implications for Canadian businesses
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speaker 05/9/2023
Canadian Tax Law Insights: Clean Energy Measures – Updates and Draft Legislation
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speaker 19/4/2023
Canadian Tax Law Insights: Clean energy tax incentives in the 2023 federal budget
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speaker 04/4/2023
2023 Budget Briefing: Key Updates and Proposals
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speaker 20/3/2023
Canadian Taxation of Employee Stock Options
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speaker 13/10/2022
Recent Developments in Hybrid Securities
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speaker 04/4/2022
Canadian Taxation of Directors’ Compensation
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speaker 02/12/2021
Practical Implications of Recent Developments in the Courts
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speaker 27/5/2019
CTF’s Prairie Provinces Tax Conference & Webcast
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speaker 25/4/2019
Impact of 2019 Federal Budget on equity compensation
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speaker 19/11/2017
Canadian Tax Foundation 69th Annual Conference
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speaker 27/4/2016
Calgary Breakfast Seminar Series: Employee Incentives and Budget 2016
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Credentials

Education

  • University of Ottawa, LL.B.
  • University of Alberta, B.Sc. (Hons.) (Pharmacology)

Languages

  • English

Professional Affiliations

  • Law Society of Alberta
  • Canadian Bar Association
  • Canadian Tax Foundation
  • Canadian Petroleum Tax Society