Critical milestone achieved: By-law and rules approved for Canada’s Real-Time Rail
Establishing a core legal framework to support a safe, efficient and resilient real-time payment system.
The publication of the Real-Time Rail (RTR) By-law, Canadian Payments Association By-law No. 10 – RTR, in the Canada Gazette, Part II, marks the achievement of a critical milestone in the lead up to the launch of the RTR. Both the RTR By-law and the RTR Rules have received all necessary approvals and will officially come into force on August 24, 2026. Combined, they establish the core legal framework essential to the system’s safety, efficiency and resilience ahead of its launch in Q4 2026.
Developed through extensive collaboration—including formal public consultations in 2020 and 2025, a series of educational webinars and close industry engagement—the RTR By-law and RTR Rules reflects broad ecosystem input and support.
Payments Canada extends its thanks to all organizations and individuals who submitted feedback throughout this process. The input has been invaluable preparing for the forthcoming launch of Canada’s RTR: new national payment infrastructure that will enable instant, data-rich payments in Canada, 24/7, 365 days a year.
We also express our gratitude for the Government of Canada’s collaboration and continued support for the RTR, recognized in the 2026 Spring Economic Update as a cornerstone of Canada's modernization agenda that will serve as a powerful engine for national productivity and economic growth.
About Payments Canada system by-laws and rules
While Payments Canada is not a government body, we establish the legal frameworks that govern how our member participants use our systems. Payments Canada’s legal framework is made up of by-laws, rules, technical specifications and procedure documents that support the safety, soundness, security and operational resilience of our payment systems.
These frameworks set out the roles and responsibilities of our member participants that exchange, clear and settle payment items via our payment systems. We continuously work with members, participants, regulators and the broader ecosystem to ensure our legal frameworks evolve to meet the current and future needs of the ecosystem, including businesses and consumers in Canada.
