New speaker roster deepens market, tech and lending insight for Western brokers
Canadian Mortgage Summit Vancouver expands its 2026 program with a fresh wave of high‑profile speakers and panelists, sharpening what is already one of Western Canada’s most densely packed one‑day lineups.
The complimentary expo, returning to the Vancouver Convention Centre on March 19, is set to draw more than 700 brokers, lenders and executives focused on how to compete in a faster, more complex market.
Organizers frames the growing roster as a way to give experienced brokers not just big‑picture commentary but direct access to decision‑makers across real estate, banking, fintech and alternative lending.
The 2026 summit is again positioned as a no‑cost, CE‑accredited day built around four themes: Western market intelligence, technology and competitive edge, value beyond rates, and lending innovation.
Market reality check and policy voices
The day’s opening panel, “Western Canada reality check – markets, appraisals & economic certainty,” will bring together British Columbia Real Estate Association chief executive Trevor Koot as moderator, with National Bank Optimum Mortgage director of national sales and marketing Inram Thaver on the panel.
The session will probe valuation pressures, affordability trends and appraisal volatility across the Lower Mainland, broader BC and Alberta – areas where brokers face persistent uncertainty around pricing and economic signals.
Adding a national policy lens, Questrade Financial Group managing director of government and regulatory affairs and policy counsel Tanya Woods will join the discussion to link regional market dynamics with emerging regulatory priorities and capital‑markets sentiment.
Tech, 55+ opportunity and capital stack strategy
Technology’s role in reshaping brokerage models anchored the “Tech is reshaping the mortgage industry – staying competitive in the next era of automation” panel, featuring Ownwell co‑founder and CEO Dan MacDonald, Filogix principal of broker channel development Ryan Spence, Neighbourhood Holdings senior director of originations Jared Stanley and Lendesk Technologies vice‑president of product Lucy Mulvaney.
The session will serve as a practical roadmap for AI, automation and workflow tools, helping firms prioritize the right tools, avoid common decision‑making traps, and build a strategic roadmap for 2026 and beyond.
On the demographic front, HomeEquity Bank broker‑channel SVP Rene Quercia will lead “Growing Your Business Starts Here: Mastering the 55+ Opportunity,” focusing on how brokers could move older clients from rate‑shopping to long‑term planning and turn education into stickier, multiyear relationships.
Private and MIC lending – now firmly mainstream rather than niche – will take center stage in “Private & MIC lending – risk, returns & real‑world case studies,” with Drake Financial vice‑president and managing director Norman Holmes and Glasslake Funding regional sales manager Jake Bannister set to dissect suitability decisions, documentation standards and real‑world red flags.
A later “Alt lending deep dive – structuring non‑traditional deals” will extend that capital‑stack focus with EQ Bank’s Evanka Grant, Haventree Bank’s Susan Thomas, MCAN Financial’s Ryan White and Wealth One Bank’s Grant Armstrong walking through self‑employed, bruised‑credit and other complex scenarios.
Influence and positioning in a regulated environment will round out the program in “From Broker to Authority: Building Trust‑Based Influence in a Regulated Market,” led by Real Estate Institute of Canada (REMIC) president and CEO Joe White.
The session will examine why “visibility alone” has not translated into referrals, and how regulated professionals could build authority without hype.
Why the expanding lineup matters – and how to attend
Feedback from the 2025 debut suggested the format already struck a chord. One bank business development manager called it “one of the best events” they attended, citing “highly engaged brokers, valuable conversations, and real opportunities,” while another lender executive said “the turnout and engagement was one of the best for events in our industry.”
With more top‑tier speakers still being added across market, tech, lending and practice‑management sessions, the 2026 Canadian Mortgage Summit Vancouver offers brokers a concentrated way to benchmark their strategies against peers and counterparties, at no cost but a day away from the office.
Be sure to register now for the event, which is free to attend for members of Canada's mortgage industry and sure to be an indispensable day of education and networking.
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