Payments Canada announces Kevan Cowan as board chair, welcomes new and returning directors
Payments Canada welcomes Kevan Cowan as the new Chair of its Board of Directors. Bringing a wealth of leadership experience to the role, Kevan will guide the board during a pivotal era for payment modernization, underscored by the forthcoming launch of Canada's Real-Time Rail (RTR) payment system in Q4 2026.
As incoming chair, Kevan will lead the board in governing Payments Canada’s affairs with a focus on strategic priorities, a function critical to the success of Canada’s payment systems and the broader economy. Kevan succeeds Garry Foster, who completed a five-year term as chair (and nine years on the board collectively), defined by industry collaboration and alignment toward sustained structural renewal.
Kevan has served on the Payments Canada Board of Directors as an independent director since 2024, including as a highly engaged and active member on our board committees. He has broad experience in capital and financial markets, including leadership positions through periods of extensive change and transformation. Kevan has also served on many boards, including the board of the Ontario Securities Commission, the Toronto Financial Services Alliance / Toronto Finance International, and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. Kevan is a past President of the Toronto Stock Exchange and of the TSX Venture Exchange.
New and returning members
Payments Canada also welcomes Kristal Au-Yong, Tamara Vrooman and Daniel Johnson to its Board of Directors. Kristal and Tamara join as Independent Directors and Daniel joins as a Member Director. As the global financial landscape continues to evolve, these leaders are well-positioned to advance Payments Canada’s vision to enable prosperity, productivity and safety for Canada through trusted, world-class payments.
Kristal Au-Yong is a transformational leader across technology, data, and financial services, with more than two decades of experience driving innovation and commercial growth. Currently, Kristal is the Head of Revenue Operations and Management at Thomson Reuters. Prior to this role, she held progressively senior leadership positions at Scotiabank spanning analytics, risk management, retail banking and finance across both Canadian and international markets. Her diverse professional background also includes valuable tenure at IBM Canada and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. She has served on multiple boards, currently serving as a board member for The Globe and Mail.
Tamara Vrooman is recognized for her exemplary track record leading large, complex institutions in both the public and private sectors. Since July 2020, she has served as the President and CEO of Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Her previous leadership roles include serving thirteen years as the President and CEO of Vancity, Canada's largest community credit union, as well as serving as the Deputy Minister of Finance for British Columbia and Chair of the Canada Infrastructure Bank. Currently the Chancellor of Simon Fraser University and a board member for the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, Tamara's contributions have earned her the Order of British Columbia and the 2025 Canadian Business Leader of the Year award.
Dan Johnson is the Chief Executive Officer of Innovation Federal Credit Union, bringing more than 30 years of experience across the Canadian financial services sector. His extensive career spans senior and executive leadership roles in retail, commercial, corporate banking, treasury and wealth services. He currently serves as a Director of Innovation Federal Credit Union and SES Solar Cooperative, having previously served as Chair of Concentra Bank. Dan is recognized as a transformative executive who successfully leads complex organizations through change by combining strong business discipline with people-focused leadership.
Johanne Duhaime, Member Director, has also had her term renewed until 2029. As Executive Vice President of Technology and Organizational Performance, Johanne leads project delivery, solutions development and IT operations for Desjardins Group. Johanne has more than 35 years of IT experience in major Quebec organizations. She also sits on the board of directors of Aviso Wealth, one of Canada's largest independent wealth management firms.
View the complete list of Payments Canada Board members and their full bios.
Payments Canada would like to extend its sincere thanks to outgoing board members, Garry Foster, John Sheridan and Rob Paterson, for their service, dedication and valuable contributions to Payments Canada during their terms.
About the Board of Directors
Under the leadership of the Chair of the Board, twelve directors are elected in accordance with the Canadian Payments Act. The board is charged with governing and managing the affairs of the organization and delivers a critical function to the success of the Canadian payment systems. As set out in the Canadian Payments Act, the board is composed of a majority of independent directors, augmented with member directors, along with the President and Chief Executive Officer.
