BCFSA Hosts 2025 Financial Services Sector Forum: Charting the Course Amid Change

• News Release

14 November 2025

BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA) convened its Financial Services Sector Forum on November 13 in Vancouver, where industry leaders, regulators, policy experts, and thought leaders explored how change creates both challenges and opportunities for building a stronger financial services sector in British Columbia.

Insights from BCFSA

In his opening remarks, Tolga Yalkin, CEO of BCFSA, emphasized the regulator and industry’s shared responsibility to foster confidence in the financial services sector.

Read the full text of his speech here: Strengthening Confidence Together.

Setting the Stage

Honourable Brenda Bailey, Minister of Finance for British Columbia, emphasized the importance of a strong, inclusive, and responsive financial services sector in building an economy that works for all British Columbians.

Keynote Insights

Stephen Poloz, Special Advisor at Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP and former Governor of the Bank of Canada, delivered the Forum’s keynote address. In his remarks, Poloz explored the ‘seismic shifts’ reshaping the global economy, rising geopolitical tensions, rapid technological advances, and their far-reaching impact on financial services, offering a thought-provoking analysis that set the tone for the day.

Engaging Panel Discussions

Throughout the day, attendees heard experts and thought leaders in two panel sessions tackling some of the most pressing issues impacting the sector.

The Shocks, Shifts and B.C.’s Evolving Economic Landscape panel was moderated by BCFSA’s Senior Vice President of Financial Institutions, Nez Aquino. National and international economic headwinds, such as rising living costs, unemployment, and challenges in housing, combined with the impact of U.S tariffs have significantly shaped the current state of B.C.’s economy. The panelists explored how the financial services sector can meet these challenges, to help enable a strong and thriving economy.

The panel featured:

• Jock Finlayson, Chief Economist, Independent Contractors and Businesses Association
• Jasmine Towers, Vice President, Customer Insights from BOSA Properties

The Housing Policy in Practice panel was moderated by Jon Vandall, BCFSA’s Senior Vice President of Financial Professionals. Canada’s housing market faces a shift, from years of high demand and low supply to a growing inventory of homes with weakening demand. Prices and rents are falling, and policy solutions are under scrutiny. Our panel of experts unpacked these dynamics and explored what’s next for housing in Canada.

The panel featured:

• Brenda Knights, CEO, BC Indigenous Housing Society
• Anne McMullin, President and CEO of the Urban Development Institute
• Bert Pereboom, Senior Manager, Housing Market Policy, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
• John Thomson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Building, Governance & Innovation

Regulatory Perspectives

Another highlight of the Forum was a conversation among three key regulators, featuring:

• Yves Ouellet, President and CEO, Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)
• Dexter John, CEO, Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA)
• Tolga Yalkin, CEO, BCFSA

Together, they explored how regulatory oversight can support innovation, strengthen public trust, and safeguard consumers amid rapid transformation while addressing strategies to manage cross-sector risks in an increasingly complex landscape.

Connecting, Collaborating and Key Takeaways

The Forum provided a unique platform for leaders to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and align on a shared vision for the future of financial services in British Columbia. It offered BCFSA an opportunity to emphasize the importance of fostering collaboration on sector priorities to advance good governance and strengthen leadership, while maintaining open channels for informed engagement and dialogue on strategic and emerging issues.