Canada Broker Network member forms partnership with Ontario brokerage

Acera Insurance Services Ltd., a member of the Canadian Broker Network, has partnered with Guthrie Insurance Brokers Ltd. of Markham, Ont.

Established in 1962, Guthrie is a full-service brokerage serving the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). In addition to offering personal lines home and auto insurance, Guthrie provides commercial lines insurance in the areas of professional liability, cyber, commercial auto, realty, corporate, boiler & machinery, and surety, among others.

Acera Insurance describes itself in an announcement about the deal as “the largest independent, employee-controlled brokerage in Canada.” The company has 1,300 employees in more than 70 offices across Canada. It writes $1.4 billion in gross written premiums, providing insurance and risk management solutions for personal and commercial clients nationwide.

Acera’s partnership with Guthrie represents the brokerage’s eighth location in Ontario. Acera also has offices in Brampton, Burlington, Huntsville, Kingston, Newmarket, Ottawa and Richmond Hill.

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“We are excited to partner with Guthrie Insurance, a firm that prioritizes a client-first approach,” says Acera CEO Lee Rogers. “Together, we look forward to carrying on our shared value of putting people first as we continue to build a top-tier team in Ontario.”

For its part, Guthrie notes foreign investors and insurance company-owned aggregators are active in the M&A space. Instead, it preferred to partner with a Canadian-owned, independent and employee-controlled brokerage.

“We have always served our clients with undying integrity, so finding the right partner to expand our market strength and capabilities wasn’t something we took lightly,” says Ryan Guthrie, president of Guthrie Insurance. “Partnering with Acera Insurance means staying true to what matters most: remaining independent and advocating for our clients.”

The Guthrie Insurance partnership closed on Oct. 6, 2025. The firm will eventually transition to the Acera Insurance name.