Overview

Hugo-Pierre (HP) is Co-head of Osler’s Asia Pacific initiative and a Montréal-based partner in Osler’s Private Equity and Corporate groups, whose practice is largely focused on M&A, leveraged buyouts, carveout transactions, recapitalizations, joint ventures and other private equity and strategic transactions.
As a trusted advisor, HP works with private equity sponsors, portfolio companies, and strategic acquirers, as well as private and public sector pension plans, sovereign funds, emerging and high growth companies, multinationals, and listed issuers. He advises clients across a diverse and vast array of industries, including technology, pharmaceutical, food and health products, agribusiness, healthcare, entertainment, defence, security, dual use products, professional services, distribution, manufacturing, mining, infrastructure, electric vehicles (EV) and energy transition.
With his extensive cross-border expertise, HP regularly advises clients with their direct and indirect investment activity, and their business-critical transactional matters across Canada and abroad.
Over the course of his career, HP has led numerous marquee mandates for private equity sponsors, including working on the largest private equity buyout deals in Canada’s history in 2025, 2019 and 2018; namely, the $14 billion recapitalization transaction of GardaWorld by HPS in 2025, the $5.2 billion recapitalization of GardaWorld by BC Partners in 2019 (Lexpert’s 2020 Private Equity Deal of the Year); and the $5.125 billion recapitalization of GFL Environmental led by BC Partners and Teachers in 2018.
In addition, HP represented TPG in relation to its investment in Cirque du Soleil and advised Apollo and BC Partners in 2025 on their $8 billion acquisition of the Environmental Services business of GFL Environmental.
HP is also a key contact in Osler’s E-Mobility and EV Supply Chain practices, advising clients with respect to ZEV mandates and a full range of investment vehicles and agreements for EV, critical mineral and battery materials projects across Canada. In 2023, he represented SK On CO., Ltd. in a $1.2 billion investment with Ford and EcoPro BM to build a cathode active materials (CAM) manufacturing facility in Bécancour, Québec.
Recognized as a Lexpert Rising Star in 2021, and by Best Lawyers Canada in Corporate law and M&A from 2024 to 2026, HP has co-authored and, since 2009, regularly updated a chapter on M&A in a Québec-based legal work (JurisClasseur:Droit des sociétés, LexisNexis). He also presents on trends and developments in the corporate landscape.
HP obtained a Certificate in Mining Law from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, a professional training program designed to provide practical knowledge and skills for the resolution of complex ownership, regulatory, contractual and legal issues arising in the mining industry. He previously practiced as foreign counsel at a leading Brazilian firm where his practice was focused on project finance within the mining, oil and gas, and infrastructure industries.
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The bilateral collaboration focuses on growth and facilitates supply chain resilience for both Canada and South Korea.
Recognized in Corporate Law; Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2024-2026)
Osler is proud to announce that Hugo-Pierre Gagnon, Emily MacKinnon and Jennifer Thompson have been recognized as Lexpert Rising Stars: Leading...
Les étapes d’un contrat : droit civil vs common law (in French only)
Speaker, Montréal, Friday, October 18, 2019
Les différentes étapes du processus contractuel – Quelques distinctions importantes entre droit civil et common law (in French only)
Speaker, Montréal, June 6, 2018
Quoted in Will three be the charm? Quebec makes third attempt to amend mining law, Financial Post, National Post, July 31, 2013.
Quoted in Pushing for Plan Nord, Canadian Lawyer, September 2012.
Robert Yalden and Hugo-Pierre Gagnon : « Fusion et acquisition d’une société par actions » in Stéphane Rousseau, dir., JurisClasseur Québec – Collection Droit des affaires – Droit des sociétés, Montréal, LexisNexis, 17/1.

Practice Areas

• Bankruptcy & Insolvency
• Corporate Law
• Securities

Bar Information

Called to the bar: 2006 (QC)