Meet the 50 women reshaping Canada's mortgage industry in 2026
Canadian Mortgage Professional has unveiled its Top 50 Women of Influence 2026, recognising the female leaders making the deepest mark across Canada's mortgage industry — from broker origination and institutional lending to fintech and beyond.
The 2026 list was assembled through a nomination process open to all Canadian mortgage professionals, with nominees evaluated on their contributions over the prior 12 months, including client outcomes, mentorship, advocacy, and innovation.
A judging panel of industry leaders and past winners selected the final 50 from a broad field spanning lenders, brokers, aggregators, and service providers across the country.
A cohort built for the current market
Among this year's honourees are four women whose work spans the full breadth of the industry:
- Corinne Schindler of Powerhaus Mortgage Corporation in Canada
- Jamie Doolittle, head of BMO BrokerEdge in Canada
- Jennifer Watts, regional sales manager for mortgages at Questrade in Canada, and
- Paula Oliveira, regional vice president of BMO BrokerEdge for Ontario and Atlantic Canada
The inclusion of two BMO BrokerEdge leaders reflects the rapid rise of BMO's broker-dedicated lending channel since its 2024 relaunch.
Doolittle and Watts are also among the confirmed panelists at the Women in Mortgage Summit Canada on September 24, where both are set to address the client conversations Canadian brokers find hardest to navigate in the current rate environment.
Oliveira, previously recognised on the 2024 edition of the same list, has spoken with CMP about what the honour represents beyond individual achievement.
"The increasing presence of women in the mortgage industry is truly inspiring. Women are not only helping to shape the industry but are also pivotal in advancing financial inclusion and facilitating home ownership, a significant step towards wealth-building for many families."
Why recognition still matters
The 2026 list arrives in a year of simultaneous headwinds — rate uncertainty, a prolonged renewal wave, and trade-driven economic volatility — making experienced female leadership across the industry consequential in concrete terms.
CMP's most recent analysis of women reshaping Canadian mortgage finance found a deepening pipeline of women entering front-line broker roles even as senior positions in financial services nationally remain disproportionately male.
Context from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce underscores why dedicated recognition programmes continue to matter: women in financial and business services earn approximately 85 cents for every dollar earned by men and hold around 30% of senior management positions nationwide.
The 2025 Women of Influence cohort saw more than half of awardees hold senior management or executive roles, with a third identified as principal brokers, broker-owners, or front-line professionals.
The complete Top 50 Women of Influence 2026 feature, including profiles of all 50 honourees, is available at mpamag.com/ca from August 3.
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