Canada’s Real-Time Rail recognized as a powerful engine for national productivity and growth
Payments Canada statement on the 2026 Spring Economic Update.
Payments Canada welcomes the 2026 Spring Economic Update (SEU), Canada Strong For All, and the Government of Canada’s continued commitment to the future of Canada’s Real-Time Rail (RTR). The Update states, “Launching in 2026, the RTR is a cornerstone of our modernisation agenda that will serve as a powerful engine for national productivity and economic growth. This critical national payments infrastructure will be a catalyst for competition, empowering a more dynamic and inclusive financial sector. The government will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to ensure the accelerated development of the RTR's future capabilities.”
The update recognizes the immense value of modernizing Canada’s critical payment infrastructure and advances key priorities that will strengthen Canada’s productivity and economic growth. This includes the government’s continued support for Canada’s Real-Time Rail (RTR) payment system. The RTR is made-in-Canada, transformational payment infrastructure that will deliver data-rich, real-time payments across Canada 24/7/365 for consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments, enabling productivity, prosperity and financial inclusion.
Payments Canada also welcomed the introduction of Bill C-29, An Act to establish the Financial Crimes Agency and to make consequential amendments to certain Acts and regulations. Payments Canada fully supports the federal government’s ongoing commitment to combatting fraud and financial crime.
The convergence of the RTR with the government’s advancements toward consumer-driven banking and the national framework for stablecoin marks a new era for Canadian finance. As the operator of critical national payment infrastructure that is foundational to running the Canadian economy, Payments Canada stands ready to share our expertise to advance these priorities and facilitate the safe interfacing of new technologies with our payment rails. The safety, soundness and resilience of our national payment infrastructure remains our top priority and we remain a dedicated partner to the Government of Canada in building a secure and competitive payment ecosystem that helps all Canadians thrive.
