Canadian Private Lenders’ Podcast
The #1 Podcast on Private Mortgage Lending in Canada. Ryan MacNeil and Neal Andreino of Keystone Capital Group outline their private mortgage lending experience and help you grow your mortgage business, while focusing on the importance of the growing Canadian Mortgage Broker channel.
Canadian Private Lenders’ Podcast
Ep.101 | No-Fee Lending, Investor Confidence, and Market Strategy with Reaza Ali
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: ryan@keycap.ca