Earlston Investments Corp.

What Earlston Investments Corp. does

Earlston Investments Corp. is a Vancouver-based private merchant bank founded in 2013 that provides asset-backed loans to two primary verticals: real estate (short-term, customized mortgages to qualified developers and investors across Canada and the US) and oil & gas (debt financing for development and acquisition, typically $5-$50 million per transaction). The firm operates on a principal-to-principal, relationship-based go-to-market with no broker network or technology platform, generating revenue through interest and origination fees on its loan book. As disclosed on the firm's own website, Earlston has funded more than 220 loans totaling in excess of $2.30 billion since inception, with recent originations including a C$5.5 million bridge mortgage in Calgary (June 2026) and a C$7.7 million inventory mortgage in Langford, BC (March 2026).

The firm is led by a senior team drawn substantially from Quest Capital Corp. and Sprott Resource Lending Corp., with Brian Bayley (Executive Chairman), Michael Atkinson (CEO), A. Murray Sinclair (CIO), Stewart Robertson (Director), John Downes (CFO), and Scott McLean (President) carrying 80+ years of collective lending experience. The operating model emphasizes capital preservation through asset-backed collateral, faster execution than traditional Canadian banks, and flexible, deal-specific structuring. Earlston maintains a single Vancouver headquarters (Suite 1703, Three Bentall Centre), a lean team of approximately 10 named professionals, and has expanded lending geographically into US markets including California, Colorado, and Arizona. No third-party equity capital, public listing, or external institutional ownership is disclosed; the firm appears self-funded through retained earnings and recycled lending capital.

Name

Earlston Investments Corp.

Legal name

Earlston Investments Corp.

Website

https://www.earlston.ca/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Earlston Investments Corp. is a Vancouver-based private merchant bank founded in 2013 that provides asset-backed loans to real estate developers and oil & gas companies across Canada and the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Merchant Banking (Asset-Backed Lending)

NAICS

Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Credit — Royalty & IP-Backed Finance (FSAHAJAM)

Keywords

• Merchant banking services
• Asset-backed lending
• Real estate mortgages
• Resource lending
• Oil and gas financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Mortgage Lending: Provides short-term, customized mortgage loans to qualified real estate investors and developers in Canada and internationally. Generates returns through interest on mortgages while preserving capital through asset-backed collateral.
2. Resource Lending (Oil and Gas): Provides debt financing for development and acquisition purposes in the oil and gas sectors. Typical loans range between $5 and $50 million. Revenue generated through interest and origination fees on resource-sector loans.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Earlston Investments Corp. is a private merchant bank that originates asset-backed loans to qualified real estate investors and developers (shorter-term, customized mortgage loans in Canada and internationally) and to oil and gas companies for development and acquisition purposes, with typical resource-sector loan sizes of $5 to $50 million. Loan terms are negotiated directly transaction-by-transaction, capital is preserved through asset-backed collateral, and the firm generates returns through interest and origination fees on its held loan portfolio.

Product overview

Earlston Investments Corp. is a private merchant bank offering two core lending products: Real Estate Lending (providing asset-backed mortgages to investors and developers across Canada and internationally) and Resource Lending (specialized debt financing for oil and gas sector acquisitions and development). The company leverages its over 80 years of collective lending experience and $2+ billion in lending history to provide flexible, faster execution financing solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Real Estate Lending Asset-backed mortgage lending providing shorter-term, customized loans to qualified real estate investors and developers in Canada and internationally for uses including acquisition financing, refinancing, land servicing, construction, and rental complex financing. The product preserves capital through asset-backed collateral while generating returns via interest on mortgages.
• Resource Lending (Oil and Gas) Specialized debt financing for development and acquisition purposes in the oil and gas sector, with typical loan sizes ranging between $5 million and $50 million. Offers tailored, structured, and expedited financing solutions for resource-sector borrowers, generating revenue through interest and origination fees on resource-sector loans.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Queen's University Sinclair Cancer Research InstituteminorOthersEarlston Investments has made a donation to Queen's University Sinclair Cancer Research Institute, a cause close to their hearts. The institute is the only research centre in Canada bringing together experts from cancer biology and genetics, clinical trials, and cancer care and epidemiology.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Atrium Mortgage Investment Corporation: Canadian Mortgage Investment Corporation focused on residential and commercial real estate lending. Comparable to Earlston's real estate lending business in product type, market segment (mid-market borrowers underserved by banks), and Canadian focus.
• Firm Capital Corporation: Canadian specialty finance firm operating a Mortgage Investment Corporation focused on real estate lending. Comparable to Earlston's real estate lending arm in product type, Canadian market focus, and asset-backed structure.
• Timbercreek Financial: Canadian specialty finance company focused on shorter-duration real estate financing. Comparable to Earlston in asset-backed, short-term real estate lending, public market reporting requirements, and Canadian market focus.
• Sprott Resource Lending Corp. Canadian resource-focused lending firm from which several Earlston principals originated. Comparable to Earlston's resource lending vertical in target borrowers (oil & gas, mining), asset-backed structure, and direct relationship-based origination model.
• Trez Capital: Canadian-based private real estate lender and investment fund manager providing bridge and construction financing. Highly comparable to Earlston on real estate asset-backed lending products, geography (Canada + US), and direct principal-lending model.
• Romspen Investment Corporation: Canadian private mortgage lender focused on short-term, asset-backed real estate loans to developers and investors. Closely comparable to Earlston's real estate lending vertical in target market, deal structure, and origination model.
• Quest Capital Corp. Predecessor Canadian asset-backed lending firm (later combined into Sprott Resource Lending Corp.) where Earlston's chairman and CIO previously served as CEO/President and Chairman. Closely comparable in lending focus, verticals (real estate and resources), and origination approach.
• Bridging Finance Inc. Canadian private lender providing asset-backed and specialty financing across real estate and other asset classes. Comparable to Earlston as a Canadian non-bank private lender offering customized, faster-execution credit to borrowers underserved by traditional banks.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Earlston Investments Corp.