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Canadian Lenders Report
Q1 2026
Data as of
January 2026
Version 3.0 · Released May 12, 2026
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It has now been approximately one and a half years since we began publishing our lenders reports. What started as a report of fewer than 50 pages has grown to nearly 180 pages in its current form, reflecting our ongoing commitment to expanding scope and depth. Today, the report covers more than 100 Canadian lenders, including banks, credit unions, MFCs, and MIEs with assets or assets under management exceeding $0.5 billion.
The report covers the key aspects of the lending business, including loan and deposit portfolios, their composition, and how they have evolved over time. For loans, we examine market share, structure, risk exposure, and geographic distribution across Canadian lenders. We give particular attention to Real Estate Secured Lending (RESL), where we provide additional detail on lender rates, term popularity, insured versus uninsured lending, and portfolio structure. Together, these sections are designed to equip executives and policymakers in the financial sector with a data-driven perspective on current conditions and emerging trends.
The report combines two complementary sources. The majority of our analysis draws from aggregated, publicly available data sourced from hundreds of institutions. We supplement this with proprietary insights derived from user activity on wowa.ca, which now receives approximately 500,000 unique visitors each month.
Data accuracy and clear presentation are central to our mission. Each section undergoes a multi-step review: data collected by one team member is reviewed by a peer, and a third reviewer audits randomly selected data points, outputs, and visuals to ensure consistency and reliability.
This report would not be possible without an exceptional team. Most members have been with WOWA for over four years and bring deep expertise in both our data and the Canadian banking industry. My sincere thanks go to: Ali Nassimi, PhD; Jimmy Nguyen; Sanika Purohit; and Chris Wan.
Hanif Bayat
Hanif Bayat, PhD
Founder & CEO, WOWA Leads Inc.
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the Canadian lending sector for the first quarter of 2026, with a primary focus on Real Estate Secured Lending (RESL) across banks and credit unions.
1. Market Scale and Growth in Loans
2. Residential Mortgage Trends
3. The Non-Bank Sector: MFCs and MIEs
4. Regional Highlights
5. Risk Factors and Credit Quality
6. Macroeconomic Outlook and Rate Path
Terminology Note
The grouping referenced varies by data availability. Credit risk metrics (PCL, ACL, net write-offs) use Big 6 data; market share analysis typically includes all Big 7 institutions.
January 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)
January 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)
January 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)
1Loan portfolio as of Dec 31, 2025
2Loan portfolio as of Dec 31, 2024
3Loan portfolio as of Sep 30, 2025
4Loan portfolio as of Oct 31, 2025
5Loan portfolio as of Oct 31, 2024
6Loan portfolio as of Jan 31, 2025
7Loan portfolio as of Mar 31, 2025
8Most recently available public figure.
9Loan portfolio as of Mar 31, 2026
10Loan portfolio as of Feb 28, 2026
11Loan portfolio as of Apr 30, 2026
12Loan portfolio as of Aug 31, 2025
13Several credit unions shown in these tables have recently merged or rebranded. Historical balances may reflect predecessor institutions, while current names may reflect the post-merger organization. Recent effective dates include:
* The presented balance for MFCs and MIEs is loans under management.
Note: Balances include loans held both inside and outside Canada, representing global loan portfolios.
January 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)
January 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)
January 31, 2026 (Q1 2026)
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