In this episode of the Canadian Private Lenders Podcast, hosts Ryan MacNeil and Neal Andreino sit down live at the Canadian Mortgage Summit with Reaza Ali, National Broker Relations Manager at Fisgard Asset Management—one of the largest private lenders in Canada.

Reaza shares his career journey and provides an inside look at Fisgard’s growth from Western Canada into Ontario, their unique no-lender-fee first mortgage model, and their strategic focus on residential lending over commercial and construction projects. He also dives into investor relations, capital preservation, and why managing risk and exits is critical in today’s volatile market.

Whether you’re a broker, investor, or industry professional, this conversation offers valuable insights into how one of the country’s leading lenders balances growth with stability.

Show Notes:

00:00 – Live from the Canadian Mortgage Summit

00:44 – Introducing Reaza Ali & Fisgard Asset Management

02:00 – Reaza’s career journey into lending

05:20 – Fisgard’s 30+ year history & expansion into Ontario

07:15 – The no-lender-fee first mortgage explained

09:30 – Renewal terms, penalties & borrower transparency

12:20 – Why exit strategies & capital preservation are crucial

15:40 – Investor base: 2,500+ investors backing $400–600M in mortgages

18:45 – Average loan sizes & mortgage breakdown

20:30 – Why Fisgard pulled back from commercial & construction lending

22:06 – Lending markets across Canada: BC, Alberta & Ontario

25:00 – Market slowdowns, affordability & investor protection

27:30 – Risk management, data-driven decisions & investor trust

30:40 – Urban vs rural lending focus

32:29 – Reaza on what he values most in the industry—and what he’d change

36:00 – Bonus: Toronto Blue Jays playoff talk 

Resources:
Keystone Capital Group
CPLP Instagram: @cplpodcast
Keystone Instagram: @keycapgroup

Find Neal On:
Instagram: @neal.andreino
LinkedIn: Neal Andreino

Find Ryan on:
LinkedIn: Ryan MacNeil
E-mail: [email protected]