As we close out 2025, we want to express our sincere thanks for your trust and partnership, not just over the past year, but the past 20. Your support makes it possible for us to continue delivering meaningful impact — helping Canadians achieve their goals and build a stronger financial future.
The Year in Review
2025 was another year of adjustment for Canada’s real estate and mortgage markets. The Bank of Canada continued easing its policy rate with four 25-basis-point cuts, bringing it to 2.25% — well below the 5% peak seen in 2023.
The ”renewal cliff” remained a major focus, with an estimated 60% of mortgages set to renew across this year and next — far above the usual pace. As loans taken out during the low-rate period of late 2020 to early 2021 reset at higher rates, many borrowers have seen payments rise, sometimes significantly. While this has added pressure for some, especially those with five-year fixed terms, the overall impact proved more manageable than many had feared, with no signs of broader stress across the system.
On the policy front, the federal government’s mortgage reforms and the enhanced Canadian Mortgage Charter announced in Budget 2024 moved into full implementation. The changes updated insured amortization rules and strengthened borrower protections and hardship support, aiming to improve affordability while reshaping how lenders and brokers underwrite and service mortgages. Key measures include permitting up to 30-year amortization for first-time buyers of newly built homes and allowing mortgage holders to switch lenders without requalifying under the stress test.
Finally, private and alternative mortgage lenders remained an increasingly important source of credit. CMHC’s latest industry analysis shows continued growth in originations by non-bank and alternative lenders in the first half of 2025, with their outstanding mortgage values growing faster than traditional lenders, despite lending more conservatively than in previous years. This highlights their expanding role in serving borrowers who need flexibility beyond what traditional channels offer — a trend that underpins the sector’s importance to both borrowers and investors.
Marking 20 Years of Private Lending Leadership
Against this backdrop, 2025 was also a defining year for CMI. Uncertainty was constant and we faced headwinds not seen since the pandemic years. Yet that’s precisely what makes this milestone year so meaningful. Marking 20 years as a company and 10 years of the CMI MIC Balanced Mortgage Fund are achievements on their own, but reaching them in such conditions underscores what CMI is built for: providing solutions when others can’t.
Earning accolades
This year also brought recognition that reflects that strength. We marked our sixth consecutive placement on The Globe and Mail’s Top Growing Companies list, were named a Top Mortgage Employer by Canadian Mortgage Professional, recognized by Wealth Awesome as one of Canada’s top MICs, and were finalists for Wealth Professional’s Private Asset Investment Provider of the Year. Receiving the Private Lending Award of Excellence from the industry was especially meaningful — a vote of confidence from those who know our business best.
Shaping the industry
In 2025, CMI remained actively engaged in advancing the private lending industry. We contributed to initiatives around consumer protection, innovation, and regulatory efficiency through our participation in the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA-ON) Mortgage Brokering Technical Advisory Committee. We also contributed as part of the Canadian Lending Association’s invite-only Real Estate Financing Roundtable, where leading lenders collaborate on strategies to advance services nationwide. Beyond regulatory engagement, CMI continued to advocate for mental health awareness across the industry.
Building stronger communities
At CMI, we recognize that our work shapes the communities where people live, work, and thrive — and with that comes a responsibility to give back. This year, we supported a range of important causes, including Bell Let’s Talk, the Donna Squire International Nursing Legacy Foundation, JACS Toronto, Jack.org, and Feed Ontario. Through these contributions, we helped advance mental health awareness, support addiction and youth programs, and promote food security, reinforcing our commitment to giving back to the communities we serve.
Staying true to our mission
Our 20th anniversary comes at a pivotal moment. Shifting employment trends, regulatory changes, and tighter bank criteria are leading more Canadians to explore private financing options. At the same time, investors are increasingly seeking resilient, reliable fixed-income opportunities. Together, these forces are driving growing demand for CMI’s innovative, technology-enabled solutions. Through it all, our mission remains unchanged: to empower Canadians through accessible, responsible mortgage alternatives.
As we reflect on 2025, these highlights underscore who we are: a company built on integrity, excellence, and results — ready to adapt, innovate, and deliver solutions with impact, no matter the market conditions. None of this would be possible without the trust and collaboration of our partners, and for that we are sincerely grateful.
Here For You Over the Holidays
CMI will remain open throughout the holidays, closing only on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day to observe these important occasions. Apart from these dates, it will be business as usual across our operations. As always, we’re here to ensure you have the support you need, when you need it.
We’re grateful for your partnership in 2025 — and we’re excited to continue building on this momentum together in the year ahead.
From all of us at CMI, I extend our warmest wishes for a joyful holiday season and a prosperous New Year.
Sincerely,
Bryan Jaskolka
CEO, CMI Financial Group
