Canada’s Real-Time Rail Quarterly Update with Jude Pinto: 2026 Q2

In 2026, we have transitioned from building new national payment infrastructure to cultivating an ecosystem that will redefine how money moves across Canada.

In our latest quarterly update, Jude Pinto, Chief Delivery Officer at Payments Canada, reflects on a period defined by growth, precision and a shared vision for a more competitive Canada.

The foundation of the Real-Time Rail (RTR) is people, partnerships and benefits to Canada. In Q1 of 2026, that foundation grew stronger with new Payments Canada members. Following recent amendments to the Canadian Payments Act, we officially welcome our first wave of payment service providers (PSPs) members: Wise, KOHO, Float, Paramount Commerce and Brim Financial as well as Meridian as our first provincial credit union member.

Each new member represents a different segment of the Canadian economy. Their inclusion is the realization of our collective goal: to foster a safe and secure payment environment built on broader access and innovation. As these organizations contemplate how the RTR can benefit their clients, they bring with them the promise of new use cases and enhanced value for all Canadian consumers and businesses.

In Q1, we successfully completed user acceptance testing (UAT). This was a critical point in the RTR program, where we proved that the system works in the real world, meeting the functional business requirements we established.

In February, we launched a series of non-functional testing that continues through Q2. We are currently pushing the system to its limits in three testing areas:

• Performance: Ensuring the speed and scalability of the RTR to handle millions of transactions within seconds
• Resilience: Proving that the RTR can maintain continuity even under the most adverse and unexpected scenarios
• Security: Validating the system stability, safety and long-term resilience to meet Canadians’ expectations of a trusted and secure payment system

As we continue to make steady progress in Q2, our focus is on ensuring we are prepared for Industry Testing and Operational Readiness. This involves the meticulous work of staffing, process design and tooling implementation to ensure that when the system launches, our operations are world-class from day one.

Momentum around the RTR continues to accelerate, and we will showcase our progress at The 2026 Payments Canada SUMMIT this May 5 to 7. The SUMMIT is where the entire ecosystem — our regulators, stakeholders, members and partners — converge. It is more than a conference; it is where the future of Canadian payments is shaped. The RTR will be a popular topic of conversation for many of us, and will figure prominently on our main stage, in breakout sessions including our deep dive programming.

The journey to the RTR has been a complex undertaking and the goal of a resilient, high-performing and secure real-time solution is closer than ever.

We are moving steadily toward a certified, production-ready state. This progress is a testament to the tireless collaboration between Payments Canada, our members and our regulators.

Together, we are powering the next chapter of Canada’s economic prosperity.

To learn more about how your organization can be part of this transformation, contact us at info@payments.ca for details on membership and system participation.