Fairstone Clears Final Hurdles for Laurentian Acquisition
The deal between Fairstone Bank of Canada and Laurentian Bank has cleared its final regulatory hurdles. The acquisition, announced in December 2025, will see Laurentian split between two institutions: Fairstone taking the corporate entity and commercial lending book, while National Bank of Canada (NBC) absorbs the retail and SME banking portfolios.
The transaction is valued at approximately $1.9 billion, with NBC acquiring Laurentian's retail and SME customers, including residential mortgages. Fairstone will take over Laurentian's corporate shell, merging its commercial lending operations with Laurentian's commercial specialization to focus on commercial real estate, inventory financing, and equipment financing.
The deal is set to complete on November 1, 2026, following the conclusion of all key regulatory approvals. The Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization, relevant securities regulatory authorities, and the federal Minister of Finance have all signed off on the acquisition.