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James Laird

Co-founder & Broker of Record, Ratehub.ca

Fintech

James Laird is a co-founder of Ratehub.ca, the Canadian rate-comparison site he started in 2010 with Alyssa Furtado and ran with her as co-CEO until June 2024, when Naga Parvatharajan became CEO. He stayed on as a board member and adviser, and Ratehub's team page lists him as broker of record. He also founded the CanWise Financial mortgage brokerage.

James hasn’t spoken on a TechTO, TechVancouver or TechWaterloo stage. This profile is here because James co-founded Ratehub.ca, which appears in 2 talks in the archive.

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Quick answers

Who is James Laird?

A co-founder of Ratehub.ca. Ratehub's team page, checked in September 2026, lists him as Co-Founder and Broker of Record. Canadian Mortgage Professional (June 2024) says he and Alyssa Furtado had led Ratehub since it started in 2010.

Is James Laird still Ratehub's CEO?

No. BetaKit and Canadian Mortgage Professional reported on June 7, 2024 that he and Furtado stepped down as co-CEOs when Naga Parvatharajan was named CEO. Laird said they would stay involved as shareholders, board members and strategic advisers, and BetaKit said he would remain broker of record for Ratehub's mortgage brokerage.

What is CanWise Financial?

Ratehub's mortgage brokerage. Canadian Mortgage Professional's profile page for Laird, checked in September 2026, says he founded CanWise in 2014. Its January 2021 interview described him as president and co-CEO of CanWise, and said CanWise became a CMHC-approved lender in 2020.

What did James Laird do before Ratehub?

CanWise's agent page, checked in September 2026, says he earned an Honours Bachelor of Commerce at Queen's University, launched several ventures, and spent six years as chief operating officer of what it calls Canada's largest independent mortgage brokerage.

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Maintained by TechTO · facts sourced and dated · last reviewed Sep 16, 2026