54 | fall 2016 cmba-achc.ca CMB MAGAZINE
T
OGETHER WE ARE STRONGER:
at's the message from more
than 4,000 mortgage brokers across
Canada who are celebrating the
creation of CMBA, the Canadian Mortgage
Brokers Association.
CMBA – a national umbrella organization
that unites provincial mortgage broker
associations from Atlantic Canada, British
Columbia, Ontario and, soon, Quebec – was
officially founded in the summer of 2015 to
raise the profile of Canadian mortgage brokers
while harmonizing branding initiatives, industry
communications and government relations. e
provincial groups were already sharing the MB
logo, designed to be the instantly recognizable
mark of the professional mortgage broker.
"It just made sense to take that next step, to
unite under a common name to further share
in efficiencies," says Samantha Gale, executive
director of CMBA. "We focused on creating
a simple identifying brand, so the consumer
understands mortgage brokers exist and can
help them. We want the public to know what
we do and how we benefit them."
While CMBA is a national organization, its
board of directors is made up of representatives
from the provincial mortgage broker
associations. Each association has retained its
regional name, but all are united under the
national brand: CMBA – Ontario, for example.
"e idea was that it would be locally run,
with a rep on a national board," explains Geoff
Carnevale, president of CMBA – Ontario and a
mortgage broker with Toronto-based Admore
Financial Services Inc. "e merger creates a
more powerful voice that allows for the sharing
of best practices as well as costs associated with
things like marketing and website design. at
allows us to offer more to our membership
because we have greater purchasing power."
Membership in CMBA is free for mortgage
brokers who are a member of a provincial
association, but the value of the national group
is significant. In addition to a revamped website,
a single member magazine (Canadian Mortgage
Broker) and national advertising campaigns
dedicated to educating consumers about the
mortgage broker industry, CMBA members
are the only ones who can use the MB logo
that identifies them as a professional mortgage
broker. "Without a distinct logo that identifies
mortgage brokers, our national advertising and
communications plan would be ineffective,"
explains CMBA president and B.C. mortgage
broker Ajay Soni, who is also the creator of
the MB logo (see story on page 50). "e MB
has now become the universal symbol for the
mortgage broker profession."
Mortgage brokers from across Canada have united under a common name
and a universal brand in an effort to elevate their industry
Brokering Change
BY LISA GORDON
"We focused on
creating a simple identifying
brand, so the consumer
understands mortgage
brokers exist and can
help them"
