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Speaker Bios
Don’t miss your opportunity to hear from a great lineup of guest speakers and panelists at this one-day, in-person event for leaders from across B.C.’s financial services sector.
Learn more about the speakers below.
The full agenda and speaker lineup is coming soon.
Keynote Speaker: Stephen Poloz on seismic shifts in the global economy
In his keynote presentation, Stephen Poloz, Special Advisor at Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, former governor of the Bank of Canada, and bestselling author of The Next Age of Uncertainty, will discuss the major tectonic shifts reshaping the global economy, rising geopolitical tensions, and their profound implications for the financial services industry.
Special Advisor
Hoskin & Harcourt LLPStephen Poloz is Special Advisor at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP. As the former Governor of the Bank of Canada, Stephen is a widely recognized economist with 40 years experience in financial markets, forecasting and economic policy.
An Officer of the Order of Canada, Stephen has made significant contributions to the country throughout his career and continues to do so. In 2024, Stephen led an economic working group created by the federal government to help find more opportunities for Canada’s largest pension funds to drive economic growth here at home.
Stephen joined Osler after seven years at the helm of the central bank. His experience in having guided Canada’s monetary response, particularly during the first half of 2020, demonstrated his ability to translate complex market information into the business context.
Prior to joining the Bank of Canada, Stephen spent 14 years at Export Development Canada as Chief Economist (1999-2008), and Head of Lending (2008-2011) and then as President and CEO of EDC (2011-2013).
In 2023, Stephen won the National Business Book Award for The Next Age of Uncertainty: How the World Can Adapt to a Riskier Future, which is also a national bestseller.
He has received honorary Doctoral degrees from Trent University and the University of Western Ontario.
Message from the Minister of Finance
In her address, Brenda Bailey, B.C. Minister of Finance, will provide an overview of shared priorities and signal the government’s leadership on key economic and consumer issues.
Minister of Finance
Brenda Bailey was first elected as the MLA for Vancouver-False Creek (now called Vancouver-South Granville) in 2020.
Brenda was appointed the Minister of Finance in November 2024. She previously served as the Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. She has also served in the following roles: member of the Finance Committee, member of Treasury Board, Vice-Chair of the Government Committee on Economy, and Chair of the Government Committee on Economy.
Brenda is a serial entrepreneur in the BC creative technology sector. She most recently served as the Executive Director of DigiBC, the Interactive and Digital Media Industry Association of British Columbia, where she worked to strengthen the province’s growing creative tech industry and continued her commitment to bringing more diversity and inclusion to the tech sector.
Brenda previously served as the Executive Director of Big Sisters of BC Lower Mainland, helping young people to realize their full potential through mentorship.
Brenda has degrees in Political Science and Social work, with advanced studies in Business and Law.
Brenda lives in Vancouver-False Creek with her family and her giant Bernerdoodle, Murphy.
Insights from Regulators
Featuring prominent regulatory leaders: Yves Ouellet, President and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), and Dexter John, CEO of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) in dialogue with Tolga Yalkin, CEO of BCFSA, the regulators session will delve into the evolving role of regulatory oversight to enhance public trust, foster innovation, and help ensure consumer protection in a rapidly changing landscape.
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Statutory Officer, BC Financial Services Authority
Tolga Yalkin is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of BC Financial Services Authority (BCFSA), where he serves as BC’s Superintendent of Financial Institutions, Superintendent of Pensions, Superintendent of Real Estate, Registrar of Mortgage Brokers as well as Chief Executive Officer of the Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corporation (CUDIC).
With over 13 years of experience in financial regulation, crisis management, compliance, and innovation, Tolga has built a strong reputation as a leader in regulatory oversight. Before joining BCFSA, he oversaw financial institutions at the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), playing a key role in safeguarding Canada’s financial system and overseeing regulatory risks.
Tolga’s career is defined by his strategic leadership in high-stakes environments, showcasing his expertise in regulatory frameworks, public service, and economic and policy analysis. He has held senior roles in the federal government, including Assistant Deputy Minister of the COVID-19 Task Force at Health Canada, Assistant Deputy Minister at the Treasury Board of Canda Secretariat, and Director General of Health Canada’s Consumer and Hazardous Product Safety Directorate.
Tolga holds bachelor’s degrees in law and commerce and two master’s degrees in law from the University of Oxford.
President and Chief Executive Officer
Autorité des marchés financiersYves Ouellet has been President and CEO of the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) since August 21, 2023, a position to which he was appointed by the Government of Québec for a five-year term. He also sits as a non-independent member of the organization’s board of directors.
As President and CEO, Mr. Ouellet is responsible for direction and management of the AMF and performs the functions and exercises the powers relating to the administration of all laws governing participants in Québec’s financial sector.
As a regulator, the AMF works to ensure financial sector integrity and efficiency in order to protect consumers of financial products and services. It acts impartially in the interests of the public, professionals, businesses and institutions. Its activities include, among other things, regulation of the insurance, securities and derivatives sectors, the distribution of financial products and services, and deposit institutions.
Since entering the public service in 1991, Mr. Ouellet has held multiple strategic positions. He started in 1994 at the Ministère des Finances, where he held management positions beginning in 1997. He became Director, Ongoing Analysis and Strategic Projects at the Ministère du Conseil exécutif in 2001. He was appointed Associate Secretary General, Priorities and Strategic Projects in 2006. He continued in that position until June 2012, when he was appointed Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife. He served as Secretary of the Conseil du Trésor from September 2012 to April 2017 and Chief Information Officer from October 2014 to June 2016.
In May 2017, Mr. Ouellet was named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Société québécoise des infrastructures. In October 2018, he was appointed Secretary General and Clerk of the Conseil exécutif, a role he occupied until his appointment to his current position.
Mr. Ouellet holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in economics from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM). He is also a member of the board at the Collège des administrateurs des sociétés.
Chief Executive Officer
Financial Services Regulatory Authority of OntarioDexter John became the second CEO of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) on March 1, 2025. He brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in governance, risk management, and regulatory oversight.
Before joining FSRA, Mr. John served as the President and CEO of Morrow Sodali (Canada) Ltd., where he advised boards and executives on corporate governance, environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, shareholder engagement, executive compensation, and strategic investor voting analytics.
His previous leadership roles include Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President of D.F. King Canada (formerly CST Phoenix Advisors) and as Executive Vice President & General Counsel of Kingsdale Shareholder Services Inc., where he provided
strategic guidance to public company issuers and boards on governance matters and corporate strategy.
Mr. John has also held several roles at prominent organizations including the Investment Dealers Association, the Ontario Securities Commission, and the Toronto Stock Exchange. He began his career by practicing corporate law at Stikeman Elliott, where he
developed a strong understanding of regulatory and governance frameworks.
An expert in corporate governance, Mr. John has served on the boards of Organigram Holdings Inc, Prosper Gold Corp, Augustine Ventures Inc., and Partners Real Estate Investment Trust. He was also appointed to The Committee on the Future of Corporate
Governance in Canada to contribute to the development and modernization of national governance policy.
Mr. John currently sits on the Organigram Holdings, CanPR Board and the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) Board.
Mr. John also has experience in regulatory governance, having served on FSRA’s Board of Directors from 2021-2025. During his tenure, he was an active member of the Human Resources & Governance Committee and the Statutory Funds Advisory Committee.
Panel Discussion from Industry Leaders
Panelists holding key roles in government, community, and industry will discuss policy and B.C.’s economic landscape.
Senior Vice President, Financial Institutions, BC Financial Services Authority
Nez Aquino has more than two decades of experience in the financial services industry and strives to guide and shape a resilient, vibrant financial sector for our province. Nez’s mission is to build strong relations with industry and other regulators and safeguard the interests of consumers in the financial services sector.
Prior to joining BCFSA, Nez held the chief operating officer position at Global Risk Institute in Financial Services in Toronto. She also held progressively senior roles at Vancity since 2006, including finance, retail operations, and most recently as its chief risk officer (“CRO”). As CRO, she shaped the risk management framework of the organization, managing all elements of current and emerging risks. Additionally, Nez gained valuable experience from her five-year tenure at Bank of America in the U.S., where she built upon her expertise in financial and analytics roles, leading her to take on increasingly complex challenges.
Beyond her professional achievements, Nez has also served on the boards of Pacific Blue Cross, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. She is a recipient of the Influential Leaders Award by Business in Vancouver (2023) and the Financial Excellence Award by Bank of America (2002).
Nez is a CPA, holds an MBA, and ICD.D Designation. She completed her undergraduate degree in Economics.
Director of Development Services, City of Langford
Matthew Baldwin is the Director of Development Services for the City of Langford, where he has worked as a planner for 28 years. He has helped guide the city’s growth from 17,000 to over 55,000 residents and led the development of innovative housing strategies, including an award-winning Affordable Housing program. He holds a BA in Economic Geography (UBC), an MCP in City Planning (Manitoba), a Diploma in Urban Land Economics (UBC), and a Diploma in Economic Development (Waterloo). Outside of work, he enjoys golfing locally.
Chief Economist, Independent Contractors and Businesses Association
In 2023, Mr. Finlayson joined the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association – Canada’s largest construction industry association – as Chief Economist. He monitors and analyses economic trends and public policy developments affecting the construction industry in B.C. and Alberta. Concurrently, Mr. Finlayson maintains an affiliation with the Vancouver-based Fraser Institute, as a Senior Fellow and co-holder of the Peter M. Brown Chair in Canadian Competitiveness.
Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Finlayson was the long-time Executive Vice President and Chief Economist at the Business Council of British Columbia, an organization representing more than 200 large and mid-size companies and affiliated industry associations in the province. In that capacity, he led the Business Council’s work on economic, environmental, regulatory and human capital issues of interest to the business community.
Mr. Finlayson has a master’s degree in business from Yale University, undergraduate and M.A. degrees from UBC, and a post-graduate diploma in economics from the University of London. He received an honorary doctorate from Royal Roads University in 2014.
He previously served on the Boards of Directors of the Bank of Canada, Canada’s Digital Supercluster, the Institute for Research on Public Policy, and the Canada West Foundation. From 2007 through 2017, he was a member of the National Statistics Council. Mr. Finlayson currently sits on the Board of Directors of the Centre for the Study of Living Standards. During 2019-2021, he served on the B.C. Expert Panel on Housing Supply and Affordability.
Mr. Finlayson has written widely for academic publications, think tanks, policy journals, and the media. He is a co-author of two books and has published more than 750 op-eds and opinion pieces on a wide range of economic and public policy topics.
Born in Comox, B.C., he returned to the province in 1994 after completing graduate studies and acquiring more than a dozen years of professional experience in Ottawa, Toronto and the United States. He resides in West Vancouver with his wife Marlene Finlayson.
Vice Chair, First Nations Financial Management Board
Dillon Johnson is a proud member of the Tla’amin (tla-ah-min) Nation, where he is serving his fourth term as an elected member of Executive Council. He is also the Chief Financial Officer for his Nation’s economic development arm, Tla’amin Management Services LP. Dillon proudly carries a Tla’amin name, toqʷanən (toh-kwon-non), which is the place name of a former village site of the Tla’amin people. Prior to the CFO role, Dillon provided community, economic and self-governing advice to other First Nations in Canada for 15 years as a consultant.. He is an MBA graduate from the Richard Ivey School of Business and has a BCom from the University of Victoria. Dillon also holds the Certified Aboriginal Financial Manager (CAFM) designation from the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of Canada, and he serves as the Vice-Chair of the First Nations Financial Management Board and is on the board for the First Nations Major Projects Coalition.
Chief Executive Officer, BC Indigenous Housing Society
Brenda Knights is the Chief Executive Officer of the BC Indigenous Housing Society, where she leads transformative efforts to provide safe, affordable, and culturally resonant housing for Indigenous communities across British Columbia. In 2024, under her visionary leadership, BC Indigenous Housing Society was recognized as the Housing Provider of the Year, a testament to her commitment to excellence, community empowerment, and innovative housing solutions. In 2025, Brenda was also selected by Business in Vancouver’s 2025 BC500 list of leaders.
In addition to her role at the Society, Brenda serves on the boards of Canada Lands, Legal Aid BC, and the New Relationship Trust as a Federal and Provincial appointee. She volunteers for the Orange Shirt Society, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade — Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Council as well as the BC Chapter, Institute of Corporate Directors — Chapter Director. With extensive governance experience, she is a steadfast advocate for Canadian and Indigenous peoples, championing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all aspects of her work. Through these roles, Brenda has driven initiatives that foster sustainable community development and advance inclusive policymaking.
As a dynamic speaker and thought leader, Brenda shares her insights on Indigenous housing, community development, and the importance of DEI. Her work not only inspires change within the housing sector but also sets a benchmark for how collaborative efforts can catalyze meaningful social transformation.
Assistant Deputy Minister, Housing and Land Use Policy, Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs
Tejindar (TJ) Parhar serves as the Assistant Deputy Minister for the Housing and Land Use Planning Division within the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs, bringing over 20 years of public sector expertise and additional experience in private industry to this pivotal role in the BC Public Service.
Before joining the Ministry, TJ was the Executive Lead of the Critical Minerals Office at the Ministry of Mining, where he spearheaded strategic initiatives to promote investment opportunities in British Columbia’s mining sector. His leadership focused on streamlining regulatory processes for mining companies and fostering meaningful engagement with First Nations, laying the foundation for Phase 1 of BC’s Critical Mineral Strategy.
TJ’s distinguished career spans multiple ministries, including Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. Renowned for building robust partnerships with industry and Indigenous leaders, he played a key role in advancing economic strategies and securing widespread support for the Declaration Act during his time in the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation.
With a steadfast commitment to economic development, collaboration, and sustainable policy advancement, TJ Parhar continues to drive transformative initiatives that support the growth and prosperity of British Columbia.
Advisor, Housing Market Policy, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Bert Pereboom currently serves as an Advisor in Housing Market Policy at Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (“CMHC”). Bert leads research and policy innovation in housing and housing finance markets, including development of the Housing Accelerator Fund and development of Urban Land Use, Housing and Transportation Modelling Tools for major urban regions of Canada. Bert provided testimony to the Cullen Commission in 2021 on methodology to detect suspicious real estate transactions via data analysis. Prior to joining CMHC 11 years ago, Bert was Senior Managing Consultant in the Advanced Analytics practice of IBM Global Business Services for over a decade. Bert completed a Master’s degree and PhD courses in Economics at Harvard University.
Vice President, Strategic Policy, BC Financial Services Authority
Saskia Tolsma is vice president, strategic policy with BCFSA. She is responsible for developing policies and best practices and operationalizing an engagement strategy for BCFSA as a modern, effective, and efficient regulator. She leverages over 15 years of experience in policy and regulatory development, including extensive work with a variety of government partners, regulators, and external stakeholders in order to provide strategic advice on how BCFSA meets its commitments for meaningful engagement and transparency.
Before joining BCFSA, Saskia held progressively senior roles at the Department of Finance Canada. This experience included roles to support the Minister of Finance in developing the federal budget, developing the mandate for the Canada Infrastructure Bank and roles in financial sector policy related to financial services innovation and consumer protection. Most recently this entailed responsibility for the federal government’s review into open banking and supporting the Minister of Finance’s advisory committee on open banking. Prior to joining Finance Canada, Saskia also worked at the Senate of Canada in a policy capacity, particularly on environment and natural resource files. These roles have supported Saskia in developing a strong sense of how to advance priority public policy initiatives and how to manage challenging issues in the public environment.
Saskia holds a bachelor of public affairs and policy management from Carleton University, and a master of public policy from the University of Ottawa.
Senior Vice President, Financial Professionals, BC Financial Services Authority
Jon Vandall serves as senior vice president of financial professionals with BCFSA. He brings more than 15 years of extensive experience in regulation and policy. Along with other members of the senior executive team, he is a leading force behind BCFSA’s work to protect British Columbians’ during some of their most important financial decisions.
Over the course of his career, Jon has spearheaded policy reform and rule-making initiatives related to real estate regulation in B.C. His proven ability to translate strategic direction into operational objectives allows him to develop policy that strengthens the practice of B.C.’s real estate licensees. A strategic communicator who can find clarity out of complexity, Jon has built strong relationships with government officials, industry stakeholders, and other regulators.
Jon has forged a reputation as a team builder who puts people first. He is passionate about fostering a culture that drives remarkable outcomes for both his team and the public. Prior to joining BCFSA, Jon held progressively senior roles with B.C.’s Office of the Superintendent of Real Estate (“OSRE”) including deputy superintendent of real estate. In this capacity, he was responsible for directing policy development and legal strategy for oversight, investigation, and regulatory enforcement actions.
Prior to that, Jon worked as senior policy analyst with the provincial Ministry of Finance, where he provided the Minister of Finance and senior officials with strategic counsel on real estate policy as well as legislative and regulatory amendments. He also worked on developing key amendments to overhaul the Real Estate Services Act (“RESA”).
Jon holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Regina and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Victoria.
