What Canadian Broker Network does

Canadian Broker Network (CBN) is an exclusive, invitation-only peer advisory group for high-performing independent insurance brokers in Canada, founded in 2002 with 7 charter members. As of 2026, the network has grown to 30+ member firms operating 150+ offices with 4,000+ employees, collectively representing more than $3.5 billion in property-casualty premiums plus employee benefits, life, and financial services. The organization transitioned to not-for-profit status in 2023 and operates as an alliance rather than a holding company—member brokerages retain independent ownership while accessing shared best practices, exclusive insurer partnerships (16 carriers as of 2024), group purchasing power, and succession/exit support.

Revenue is generated primarily through membership dues from member brokerages and sponsored programs/events (Chairman's Circle, PI #Excellence Awards, Underwriter of the Year, President's Dinner). Membership is by invitation only, with criteria including independent status, leadership strength, financial performance, and growth orientation. CBN's technology footprint is intentionally lightweight: a member portal for resource access, a public-facing broker locator tool keyed to postal code, and a data warehouse launched in 2017 that enables cross-firm performance benchmarking. The 2026 launch of a Salus partnership adds exclusive capacity and programs for members, signaling continued ecosystem buildout around the core peer advisory proposition.

Name

Canadian Broker Network

Legal name

Canadian Broker Network

Website

https://canadianbrokernetwork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Canadian Broker Network (CBN) is an invitation-only, not-for-profit peer advisory group serving 30+ high-performing independent insurance brokerages across Canada, providing collective scale, 16 insurer partnerships, benchmarking data, and shared best practices to its 4,000+ member employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Membership Fees: CBN generates revenue through membership fees from its 30+ member brokerages. In 2023, CBN transitioned to a not-for-profit organization, suggesting membership dues are the primary revenue source.
2. Events and Programs: CBN organizes exclusive events including President's Dinner (annual gathering of major Canadian insurance company leaders), awards programs (Chairman's Circle, PI Excellence, Underwriter of the Year), and peer learning sessions that may generate revenue through sponsorship or registration.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Canadian Broker Network (CBN) is an exclusive peer advisory group for high-performing independent insurance brokerages in Canada. It operates as a not-for-profit alliance of 30+ member brokerages, providing shared best practices, data-driven benchmarking, exclusive insurer partnerships, and a member portal. Member firms collectively employ 4,000+ people across 150+ offices and manage over $3.5 billion in property-casualty premiums.

Product overview

Canadian Broker Network (CBN) is an alliance of independent, employee-owned insurance brokers operating as an exclusive peer advisory group. CBN is not a single unified technology product but rather a network organization offering multiple services including peer advisory programs, member portal access, broker locator services, and various award/incentive programs (Chairman's Circle, PI #Excellence Awards, Underwriter of the Year Awards). Members benefit from shared best practices, data-driven benchmarking, exclusive partnerships with insurers, and access to joint ventures and group-purchase deals. The network spans 150+ offices across Canada with 4,000+ employees, offering expertise across personal, commercial, employee benefits, life, and financial services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CBN Peer Advisory Network Membership Exclusive peer advisory membership for high-performing independent insurance brokerages in Canada, providing shared best practices, expertise, and advice for building and sustaining high-performing brokerages. Membership is by invitation only.
• Broker Locator Public-facing search tool on the CBN website that enables consumers to find CBN member insurance brokers by postal code across Canada.
• Member Portal Secure online portal for CBN member brokers to access exclusive resources, collaborate, and manage their membership activities.
• Data Warehouse Benchmarking Data warehouse project launched in 2017 enabling data-driven benchmarking across CBN member firms, allowing performance comparison and collective insights.
• President's Dinner (Annual Event) Annual networking event hosting leaders of major Canadian insurance companies to strengthen insurer partnerships and member visibility.
• CBN Member Benefits Program Comprehensive member benefits including business support, access to world-class tools, growth support, and network of industry leaders.

Quantifiable outcome

• $3.5 billion+ in property-casualty premiums managed by member firms
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• SaluscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026In 2026, CBN launched a new partnership with Salus to provide new capacity and programs exclusively for CBN members. This partnership enables CBN to expand its offerings to member brokerages with enhanced capabilities and exclusive programs.
• 16 Canadian Insurers (collective partnerships)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024By 2024, CBN had established partnerships with 16 insurers supporting its mission. These partnerships provide CBN members with exclusive products, programs, and underwriting capacity not available through other channels.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Aon Canada: Global professional-services firm with a significant Canadian insurance brokerage and reinsurance practice. Comparable in serving Canadian commercial insurance buyers, with a much broader advisory and reinsurance mandate.
• Hub International: Large global insurance brokerage with substantial Canadian operations. Comparable in serving mid-market and commercial insurance buyers in Canada, but operates as a single consolidated brokerage rather than an alliance of independents.
• Marsh Canada: Global insurance broker and risk advisor operating in Canada. Comparable as a large-scale Canadian insurance intermediary, but with broader enterprise risk and global-program capabilities beyond retail brokerage.
• Intact Financial Corporation (Brokerage Operations): Canada's largest P&C insurer with owned brokerage distribution (including BrokerLink). Comparable to CBN in controlling Canadian retail insurance distribution at scale, though vertically integrated as a carrier-owned channel rather than an independent alliance.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Canada): Global insurance brokerage and risk-management firm with a Canadian practice. Comparable as a major broker serving Canadian commercial and personal-lines clients, but with global scale and a wider product portfolio.

Direct peers

• Westland Insurance Group: Major Canadian insurance brokerage with broad multi-province presence and significant premium volume. Comparable in scale and Canadian retail-insurance focus to the collective CBN membership base.
• Crosslink Insurance Group: Independent Canadian insurance broker network/alliance offering member brokerages shared resources, carrier access, and peer collaboration. Directly comparable to CBN as a competing independent-broker alliance in Canada.
• BrokerLink: One of Canada's largest insurance brokerages with a national footprint across multiple provinces. Comparable to CBN as a large-scale Canadian retail insurance distribution platform, though structured as a single corporate entity rather than an alliance of independents.
• Premier Group of Companies: Canadian insurance brokerage network/group operating across multiple provinces. Comparable to CBN as a multi-broker Canadian insurance distribution platform with shared carrier relationships.

Regional players

• Le Groupe Beaucage: Quebec-based insurance and financial services group with brokerage operations across the province. Comparable as a Canadian independent insurance distribution platform, though regionally concentrated in Quebec.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInca.linkedin.com/company/canadian-broker-network

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries33 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Canadian Broker Network