Toronto Mortgage Symposium

Max Stencer and Lauren van den Berg, MPC
Opening Remarks & Association Update

Leanne Conroy, MCAN
Alternative Lending 101: The Broker’s Edge

48% of Canadian homebuyers used a mortgage broker in 2024—up 5% from 2023. Why? Because brokers unlock lending options banks won’t touch (or even admit exist).

But if you don’t get alt lending, your clients won’t either. And that means:

🚫 Missed deals (hello, unnecessary declines!)
🚫 Lost commissions (why refer when you can keep the business?)
🚫 Clients stuck in "bank-only" thinking (yawn—time to shake things up!)

This is a power session that’ll help you:

✅ Flip declines into approvals (and doubts into "where do I sign?")
✅ Debunk alt-lending myths (spoiler: it’s not just for "risky" clients)
✅ Turn YOU into the go-to broker (the one clients rave about)

The future of lending isn’t at the bank—it’s with YOU. Let’s make sure clients (and your business) don’t miss out.

About the speaker: Leanne Conroy is an expert in the alternative lending sector, having garnered numerous awards for her work. She has dedicated 20 years to the mortgage industry, with ten of those years focused on alternative lending. Leanne is a sought-after source for market trend analysis, training, and education within the industry. Leanne is an ardent advocate for women in the mortgage industry, actively working to promote gender diversity and empowerment. Her efforts to create an inclusive environment extend to her personal life, where she champions a balanced approach to work, life, and well-being. As a yoga instructor, Leanne offered free online classes during the pandemic and remains committed to her community by volunteering with organizations like the YMCA. Leanne is Regional Director of Sales at MCAN Home.

Mathieu Laberge, Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, Housing Insights, CMHC
Economic Update

Join us for an economic fireside chat exploring Canada’s shifting housing landscape. Hosted by Lauren van den Berg, President & CEO, this candid conversation with economist Mathieu Laberge will examine the challenges facing first-time homebuyers, the rise of delayed homeownership, and the broader implications for Canada’s housing and mortgage markets.

FSRA
FSRA Update

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

Matt Imhoff and Hugo Dos Reis, Prepayment Penalty Mentor
The 2026 Mortgage Penalty Playbook: How Top Brokers Win Deals Others Walk Away From - The Hidden Leverage Inside Every Mortgage Penalty

Stuart Levings, Sagen; Andy Charles, Canada Guaranty; Coleen Volk, CMHC
Insurer Panel: Risk, Resilience, and the Road Ahead

Join Canada Guaranty, CMHC, and Sagen for a timely discussion on the evolving mortgage insurance environment, risk considerations, and how insurers are responding to current market conditions.

About the speakers: Andy Charles has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Canada Guaranty since 2005. Under his leadership, the company has grown into one of Canada’s leading mortgage default insurers. Prior to Canada Guaranty, Andy spent 15 years as an executive in CIBC’s residential mortgage business. In 2005, he joined AIG United Guaranty as President and Chief Executive Officer to establish a third mortgage default insurer in Canada, ending a longstanding market duopoly. During his tenure, he successfully guided the Canadian operation through the global financial crisis and oversaw its transition to Canadian ownership under the Canada Guaranty brand. Today, Canada Guaranty has provided mortgage default insurance to over 1.3 million Canadians, representing more than $255 billion in residential mortgage volumes. Andy also serves on the Board of Fairstone Bank of Canada as Chair of the Conduct Review Committee and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). In recognition of his meaningful contributions to the industry, he was inducted into the Canadian Mortgage Hall of Fame in 2012.

Mr. Levings assumed his current role as President and Chief Executive Officer in January 2015. Prior to that Mr. Levings served in the roles of Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, as well as Senior Vice President, Chief Operations Officer and Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Officer. Mr. Levings joined Sagen MI Canada in July 2000 as the Financial Controller and has also held positions in finance and product development, including five years as Chief Financial Officer. Before that, Mr. Levings spent seven years with Deloitte & Touche. Mr. Levings holds a CPA, CA professional designation with over 20 years of professional experience in a variety of industry sectors. Mr. Levings holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science degree from the University of South Africa and is a member of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Coleen Volk joined CMHC as President and CEO in June 2024. She brings extensive experience in executive roles within the Province of Alberta and the Government of Canada, and previous experience in the private sector. Ms. Volk served most recently in the Alberta public service as Associate Deputy Minister, Executive Council; and held Deputy Minister roles with Operations, Intergovernmental Relations, and Alberta Energy. For more than 10 years, Ms. Volk held executive roles within the federal government, including with Environment and Climate Change Canada, Finance Canada, and Industry Canada. She also served at the Privy Council Office, where she supported the Prime Minister and the Clerk of the Privy Council in governor-in-council appointments, such as for deputy ministers, Crown corporation and agency boards and CEOs, federal commissions and tribunals. Her appointment as President and CEO marks a homecoming to CMHC where she previously spent nine years in leadership roles from 1996 to 2005, including Assistant Vice-President, Finance; Managing Director, Securitization; and Treasurer. Earlier in her career, Ms. Volk worked in the banking industry, including six years with CIBC in the Corporate Treasury function. She holds a CPA designation (CPA, CMA), and has a Bachelor of Science with a computer science major from the University of Regina.