Speech: Closing remarks from The 2025 Payments Canada SUMMIT
In her closing remarks, Susan Hawkins, President and CEO of Payments Canada, emphasized collaboration and unity as the driving force behind the work ahead.
Susan Hawkins
President and CEO
Susan Hawkins is the President and CEO of Payments Canada, leading the organization's next phase of development to meet the evolving payment needs of Canadians. Under her leadership, Payments Canada is focused on modern payment technology solutions that are safer, smarter and more accessible for Canada.
Note: Minor changes to the following remarks may have occurred during delivery
What an incredible two days it's been!
The energy, the ideas, the conversations, all inspired by a shared vision of what payments could be in the future, and your willingness to collaborate, share perspectives and take action.
You know, throughout The SUMMIT, we've been exploring the themes of collaboration, innovation and transformation. There have been so many great keynotes, thought-provoking panels and conversations, and the idea exchange was excellent.
My general sense is that there's renewed energy in the payment ecosystem. I hope you've made meaningful connections. I hope you've picked up some fresh perspectives on the future of payments, specifically for Canada. And of course, the conversations don't stop here. They need to go on.
Tomorrow, for the first time, we're doing something new: We're hosting Deep Dive sessions. These are in-depth discussions where you can ask anything of the experts, have debates and look at case studies. And they’re all on these hot topics: Fraud, AI, regulation, customer experience, cross-border and real-time payments. I hope many of you are able to take advantage of that.
We've probably talked enough about the time we're living in, in terms of the amount of change, the geopolitical shifts and the change in the global economic world order. But I want to be sure that we all walk away with the same shared understanding:
It's important for Canada, in particular at this time, to think beyond being a smart, fast follower and to really have the mindset of being globally competitive.
And that's part of why we've sharpened our focus at Payments Canada.
Yes, we are here to keep payments safe. We are also here to ensure that there's economic inclusivity across businesses and individuals and to ensure that Canada gets and remains globally competitive. We know that Canadian prosperity and productivity are dependent on achieving those goals.
At the same time, our commitment to safety and operational excellence will remain unwavering. It’s the backbone of what we do. Every Canadian, every one of you, and every business you represent deserves that from us. That’s why we will continue to keep our payment system stable and secure every single day.
As you've seen from the discussions, today's payment ecosystem is broader, more diverse and more dynamic than ever. I don't think I've seen as much passion and readiness for action before on the main stage.
We're evolving alongside the payment ecosystem with a growing focus, again, on inclusivity, global competitiveness and economic prosperity. We want to ensure that everyone benefits from systems that are responsive, accessible and modern.
The introduction of real-time payments is going to be just one example of how we lay the groundwork for faster, more flexible and more responsive payment environments. We are proud of how far we've come. We've done the work that's been required to build the Real-Time Rail, and we've done it with a clear focus on delivering even more value for Canadians with a team Canada approach.
The future of payments in Canada is being shaped by the work you are all doing — and it’s being shaped by collaboration: collaboration among regulators, members and stakeholders. If any of you do not yet feel part of Team Canada, please do — from this day forward. You are part of this team, and together we are going to succeed.
As we close out the main portion of the conference, I want to take a moment to thank The SUMMIT’s phenomenal organizers and the Payments Canada team, as well as, of course, our generous sponsors and the terrific speakers and panellists we've had throughout The SUMMIT. Your presence, participation and passion have made this conference a great success.
So please, take what you've learned over the past two days — share it, challenge it, and build on it. Change begins when ideas translate into action, and that starts with all of us.
I invite you to join us next year at The 2026 SUMMIT, happening right here from May 5 to 7. Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s keep the momentum going — together.
Thank you for attending The 2025 Payments Canada SUMMIT.
Watch more content from the mainstage of The 2025 Payments Canada SUMMIT.
