True North Mortgage is a Calgary-based mortgage brokerage that pairs online-broker pricing with something most online platforms don’t have: retail stores where you can meet a salaried advisor. It says it has been operating for over 20 years, it runs its own in-house lender, and it advertises a rate promise for home purchases. This review covers how that model works and where it fits among the platforms in our mortgage lenders and brokers hub.
True North Mortgage at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it is | Mortgage brokerage with an in-house lender (THINK Financial) |
| Head office | Calgary, Alberta |
| How advisors are paid | Salaried, with team-based performance pay |
| Stores | Retail locations in cities including Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax |
| Cost to the borrower | No cost to the borrower |
| How you apply | Online, in-store or by phone |
Salaried advisors and stores
True North’s advisors are paid this way: Salaried, with team-based performance pay. At most brokerages an agent’s pay rises with the lender’s payment on each deal (see how mortgage brokers get paid); True North’s model removes the per-deal link between an advisor’s pay and the lender chosen, though the company itself is still paid by lenders. It also says “we regularly buy down your rate”, giving up part of what it earns to lower a client’s rate.
Where it has stores: Retail locations in cities including Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax. The rest of its service runs by phone and online, so a store visit isn’t required. Borrowers far from a store get the same online and phone process as at a fully digital platform.
The rate promise (dated)
Promotions change, so this is a dated description rather than a standing feature. As of October 2026, True North’s site said it “guarantees you the lowest rate for the purchase of your Primary residence in Canada” and that “if you find a better rate, we’ll beat it or give you $500”. The promise as worded covers the purchase of a primary residence, not refinances or rentals. Confirm the current terms and conditions with True North before relying on it. For today’s rates across lenders, see our mortgage rates section.
Complex files and the in-house lender
True North says that when traditional lenders “won’t bend”, it considers “non-traditional income sources, extended income ratios, and more complex financial situations”. Its in-house lender is THINK Financial, which works out of the Calgary head office. That makes True North more of an option than a purely digital platform for borrowers with irregular income; our self-employed mortgage guide and newcomer mortgage guide cover those files in depth. Borrowers who need a lender outside the prime market can read about B-lenders.
Pros and cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Salaried advisors, not paid per deal | Stores in a limited number of cities |
| In-person meetings available, plus phone and online | Rate promise covers primary-residence purchases only |
| Says it considers non-traditional income | No rate comparison tables like Ratehub’s |
| In-house lender alongside brokered options | Doesn’t publish how many lenders it works with |
Who True North suits
True North tends to suit borrowers who want broker pricing and a face-to-face meeting, such as first-time buyers near one of its stores, and borrowers whose income takes some explaining. Borrowers who prefer to research rates on their own first may start with Ratehub, and those who want a fully online process with a long rate hold can compare nesto.
How True North compares
- nesto is an online lender and brokerage with salaried advisors and no stores: see the nesto review.
- Ratehub.ca is a comparison site with its own brokerage: see the Ratehub review.
- Perch and Homewise are digital brokerages: see the Perch review and the Homewise review.
All three of the best-known platforms are side by side in nesto vs Ratehub vs True North, and the choice between a bank, a broker and an online platform is in our digital mortgage comparison.
How we rated True North Mortgage
True North gets 4.0 out of 5 from us, with no scoring formula behind the figure. Salaried staff, physical stores and a published promise count in its favour; a handful of cities and a promise limited to purchases count against it.
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Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on October 5, 2026. How we check facts.
- truenorthmortgage.ca: Careers | True North Mortgage