Final regulatory approvals set for acquisition of Laurentian Bank
Fairstone Bank of Canada – which completed its merger with Home Trust Company in January 2025 to become Canada’s leading alternative lender – is buying the Laurentian corporate shell.
It will merge its commercial lending operations with Laurentian’s commercial specialisation. The combined entity will focus on commercial real estate, inventory financing, and equipment financing, with a particular emphasis on Québec.
NBC, with $618 billion in assets as at April 30, 2026, is taking on the retail and SME portfolios. It already holds a strong presence in Québec. The transaction deepens its deposit base and retail client relationships in the province.
Laurentian Bank will continue to operate under its own brand following the close, with its head office remaining in Montréal. The institution, founded in 1846, becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Fairstone rather than disappearing entirely.
What Canadian brokers should do now
Verify that client contact details held by Laurentian are current before November 1. Migration notices will go to the address on file. Review any Laurentian mortgage renewals falling due in late 2026, and flag the ownership change proactively rather than waiting for clients to ask.
