Cornell Insurance Brokers Ltd., which was acquired by McDougall Insurance Brokers Limited in December last year, has announced the integration of Etobicoke-based Active Insurance & Financial Group Inc. in a move that further strengthens McDougall’s position in the Greater Toronto Area.
The deal marks another step in McDougall Insurance’s ongoing consolidation strategy, which has seen the brokerage group grow aggressively across Ontario and beyond through a series of acquisitions over the past several years.
Patrick Hogan, vice-president of Cornell, confirmed that the partnership builds on an already strong working relationship between the two firms.
“We have always had a close working relationship with Active,” Hogan said. “They think of insurance the same way we do – with an intense emphasis on relationships, communities and doing the right thing for their clients. We welcome Active’s staff and clients into the Cornell family and look forward to succeeding together as a bigger, stronger team.”
As part of the transaction, Active’s owner Mark Palazzese will remain with the organization, continuing in his role as president. That continuity, Hogan said, was a key part of the integration strategy.
“Active is a special organization built from the effort and discipline of our team, and I firmly believe this transaction will be another successful step in our journey,” Palazzese added. “We are in the relationship business - and through our relationship with Cornell we knew that this transaction was a fit that would make things better for both our clients and staff. Our local touch, combined with Cornell and McDougall’s scale will allow industry-leading service for all our clients.”
McDougall CEO Ross McDougall described the merger as a natural alignment of shared values and business philosophies.
“We are proud to be trusted by Mark and his team to support them as part of the growing McDougall family,” he said. “We fundamentally believe in combining the very best brokerages across Canada, and no organization embodies what good brokerages are better than the team at Active. We know that between Active and Cornell we will be able to deliver on unparalleled insurance service for our clients in the GTA.”
The combination with Active is the latest in a string of acquisitions by McDougall Insurance. In 2023, the brokerage partnered with McFarlan Rowlands Insurance Brokers Inc., adding 18 offices and over 200 staff across southwestern Ontario. That same year, McDougall expanded further through the acquisition of Alberta’s Drayden Insurance Ltd., which brought eight locations and more than 180 employees into the fold.
In 2024, McDougall also acquired All Time Insurance Brokers Inc., a smaller firm in Ajax, Ontario, further extending its presence in the province’s east end, and also snapped up MHK Insurance Inc., based in Alberta.
The company, backed by Definity Financial Corporation, continues to pursue a strategy of acquiring high-performing, community-rooted brokerages while maintaining local leadership and operational continuity - principles it says will guide the integration of Active as well.
