Canadian Mortgage Summit: reaction from a 'phenomenal' event

Canada’s mortgage industry was out in full force a week ago today, Thursday, September 14, at Brampton’s Pearson Convention Center for the Canadian Mortgage Summit, a free educational event consisting of a series of panel discussions, presentations and networking opportunities.

A bumper crowd of lenders, service providers, brokers, agents and other mortgage professionals was in attendance to find new ways of expanding and elevating business during the challenging current market, with an array of expert speakers taking to the stage to share their strategies and advice for flourishing during a downturn.

Frances Hinojosa (pictured top left), president and CEO of Tribe Financial, and Hali Noble (pictured top right), managing director of Fisgard Asset Management Corporation, acted as chairpersons for the event, guiding attendees through proceedings in each conference room.

Meanwhile, 68 distributors set up in the adjacent expo hall, offering the opportunity for attendees to gain valuable facetime with industry colleagues including top lenders and tech solutions.

A timely event in a challenging mortgage climate

Dalia Barsoum (pictured below), founder and broker at Streetwise Mortgages, took part in a panel convening leading brokers to discuss their own approach to the present climate and how they’ve been servicing clients this year.

She hailed a “phenomenal” event that she said had provided plenty of food for thought for mortgage professionals on how to remain resilient and successful in the turbulent mortgage market of 2023.

Dalia Barsoum, Streetwise Mortgages

Barsoum told Canadian Mortgage Professional that among the most valuable components of the day had been the ability to hear from a variety of different industry experts about what they’re keeping top of mind in the current climate.

“Firstly, I connect with fellow industry professionals, and I like to connect with veterans because I learn something every time and I’m always keeping an eye on what other new solutions may be out there that I may not have tapped into,” she said.

“There are many relevant topics that are being covered, especially during these times, and also many lenders are coming out to share their solutions. It’s very affordable for everyone, a free event, and really a great place to be for mortgage brokers and agents.”

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Exhibitors see value in connecting with attendees in person

For exhibitors, the value of meeting industry professionals in a face-to-face setting was also clear. James Grantis (pictured below), director of investments at Hosper Mortgage, told CMP that having a physical presence at events was an invaluable way of forging connections and establishing relationships that virtual solutions simply couldn’t provide.

James Grantis, Hosper Mortgage

“Even coming here and just meeting our fellow lenders is reason enough to be here, and to have a very easy way to touch base with people that have submitted to us but never met us,” he said.

“Meeting someone is binary. Either you’ve met someone or you haven’t. You could have corresponded a hundred times over email, but it’s still binary. So even one brief meeting makes that binary ‘yes’, and all future Zooms and emails and texts are predicated on the fact that you actually have met this real person – and it’s really easy to knock down 50 of these in one day [here].”

Grantis appeared on the opening panel of the day, joining other top lending representatives to discuss the most important elements of the relationship between brokers and lenders at present.

With the event arriving at a time when Canadian homeowners and buyers alike are seeing their budgets come under huge strain thanks to rising interest rates and a cost-of-living crisis, Barsoum said the gathering of industry professionals reaffirmed the value of mortgage brokers and agents to borrowers.

Her biggest takeaway from the event was that “this industry is still solid,” she said. “This industry, despite the challenge, is a good place to be to provide clients with solutions.

“We are more needed than ever as professionals right now for Canadians because we have so much behind us to offer and to step in to find solutions during these challenging times. So it’s a validation for me that I am still in the right place to serve and to grow.”

James Grantis was awarded as one of the best young mortgage brokers and professionals in Canada. To learn more about the winners, read the Rising Star 2023 special report.

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