Halifax Mortgage Symposium

Barbara Cook and Lauren van den Berg, MPC
Opening Remarks & Association Update

Remarks by The Honourable David Hickey

Presented by: Ivan Ruiz  
Communication Bootcamp

In this interactive keynote seminar participants will learn an actionable strategy to help them break the ice with new clients, create a unique value proposition and a tactic to become more convincing.

About Ivan:

Bio's are boring. Instead here are some fun facts about Ivan:

* He is a top-rated instructor on Coursera with over 100,000 learners
* He is a top-rated instructor on Udemy with over 50,000 students
* He was the official host for FIFA 2022, Invictus Games 2017 & PanAm Games 2015
* The largest crowd he ever spoke in front of was 50,000
* He wrote a book called "End Boring"
* He can teach you how to salsa dance

Eric Poblete and Ben Levy, Equifax Canada  
Mortgage Credit and Frauds Trends 2.0 Fireside Chat

Join Eric Poblete and Ben Levy for an insightful fireside chat with Equifax as they present an in-depth look at consumer credit and fraud trends in Canada—including insights specific to your local customers. Discover key trends in spending and saving habits, and learn which customers are looking to switch or renew early during this critical mortgage renewal period. Plus, get the latest updates on Canadian fraud trends, FINTRAC regulations, and new compliance rules impacting brokers across the country. Don't miss this opportunity to get your most pressing questions answered!

Eric Poblete is a sales professional with over 30+ years experience working with all vertical markets. In the last 14 years Eric has worked with Equifax Canada with a focus on the mortgage, rental and housing industries. As the Equifax ambassador for the mortgage broker market, he has provided extensive support and education to all the varied stakeholders including brokers, lenders, underwriters, real estate agents, and insurers helping them to understand credit, compliance, financial trends and fraud directly and indirectly related to the mortgage market.

Ben Levy is a Consultant for EFX's Consumer and Fraud solutions, supporting their Small and Medium Enterprise Sales team. He is located in Halifax, NS and has been with EFX for 27 years with the majority of those years seeing to the needs of the Atlantic credit unions. He is responsible for maintaining and growing relationships as well as ensuring that clients receive the top level of service they should expect from Equifax.

Regulatory Update

The Financial Services Regulatory Authority will provide an update on the latest in provincial regulation.

The Honourable Steven Myers, Minister of Housing, Land and Communities

Cameron Field, The Vidocq Group
Mortgage Fraud in Canada: Challenges, Solutions and Intelligence Sharing

Join Cameron for an overview of the issues and problems facing mortgage providers. KYC standards and a risk-based approach are juxtaposed with robust sales targets. Greater due diligence, information and bad actor intelligence sharing will be discussed. By leveraging situational awareness, intelligence and robust KYC frameworks a better experience for customers and top line revenue is possible.

Cam is a Vice President with The Vidocq Group. He leads the firm’s Toronto operations where they consult on financial crime, money laundering, sanctions, regulatory risk, investigative due diligence, and complex corporate investigations. Prior to that he worked in the anti-money laundering team at BMO Financial Group as the head of intelligence liaison and operational effectiveness. Before his career in the private sector, he served 32 years with the Toronto Police Service and retired in 2017. He served in many roles including Officer in Charge of the Threat Assessment, Investigative Training and the Corporate Crimes Unit. He currently sits on the Private Sector Liaison Committee for the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. He received a BA in Justice Studies, a MSc in Criminology and s a certified anti money laundering specialist. He speaks internationally and has published numerous articles and publications on financial crime and money laundering.

Moderated by: Michelle Drover Panelists: Brad Donnely, Daniel Cox, Deanne Whelan and Sheila Bianchi  
Broker Panel: Strategies for Success in a Changing Market

Join top industry experts as they tackle the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing mortgage brokers today. From record-high mortgage renewals and client retention strategies to market trends, competitive insights, and regulatory updates, this panel will provide actionable takeaways to help you stay ahead. Learn how brokers are leveraging technology, innovative processes, and strategic client conversations to navigate today’s market—and hear their perspectives on where new growth opportunities lie. Don’t miss this engaging and informative discussion!