Our team

Better people make better lending

We lend billions of dollars to commercial real estate projects every year. But it’s not just capital that distinguishes us. It’s the empowered nature of our workforce. Our advisors are experienced experts whose sole focus is to deliver financing strategies that enable you to achieve greater success.

Our Better Lending culture – three decades in the making – is built on the skill that comes from pure mortgage lending. Because we start from a position of knowledge about you, your project, and your market, we can design solutions that are fit for your purpose. And because accountability is in our nature, we meet our commitments.

Better by design, better by nature, better for you in every corner of the country.

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Team Allaire

CMHC expertise. Sound advice. Committed to value.

Team Allaire has historical roots anchoring it. Benoit Allaire and Isabelle Rivrais worked together previously at CMHC for 15 years. They continued their collaboration when Benoit joined First National in 2017. In 2023, Admir Bikić joined the team. Collectively they focus on CMHC-insured and conventional mortgages, as well as bridge and construction financing for various commercial assets in Montreal, Quebec City, Gatineau/Ottawa and other major cities in Quebec. From their time at CMHC, Benoit and Isabelle understand how CMHC assessors think, how they view the market, what they look for, what they prefer and how to present deals with palatable risk. As CMHC has evolved, Benoit’s and Isabelle’s knowledge has evolved as well. With that broad insight, the team can set realistic expectations with clients while staying true to their passion and commitment to value and results. While Benoit and Isabelle have more longevity in the industry, Admir brings a strong foundation to buid on, having gained experience at a commercial mortgage brokerage. His passion for real estate combined with Benoit’s and Isabelle’s precedents bring a multi-faceted perspective to clients. As a team, they commit to several common values. Sound, honest advice. Client goals come first. Simplify the process. Stay true to our word. Benoit, Isabelle and Admir trust each other, communicate openly, solution collaboratively and support each other respectfully. The care they have for each other and the way they work internally as a team permeates out to how they engage with clients.