Possibilities powered by payments: The Idea Exchange at The 2026 Payments Canada SUMMIT

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As we look toward The 2026 Payments Canada SUMMIT, there is a palpable sense of momentum in our industry. In my role as Director of Research, I lead a dedicated team at Payments Canada focused on exploring that momentum. By leveraging strategic foresight and product and market research, we deliver high-impact, credible insights that inform organizational roadmaps, policy development and decision-making across the Canadian financial landscape. My goal is for these insights to support a stronger, more globally competitive economy where all Canadians thrive. I look forward to bringing this lens to my role as host of the Payments Canada Idea Exchange at The SUMMIT.

The Idea Exchange is a place of collaboration, possibility and growth. Positioned at the heart of the action outside of the exhibit hall, this open-stage forum is designed for delegates to exchange ideas in an innovative and interactive setting. Content includes high-impact presentations, expert panels, product demos and exclusive one-on-one interviews centered around our theme, possibilities powered by payments. Through this theme, Idea Exchange will explore how seamless financial flows serve as the engine for Canada’s prosperity, productivity and safety. This theme aligns directly with The SUMMIT’s overarching goal: Accelerate economic growth.

Some examples of the content include:

• An overview of Payments Canada’s unique role within the ecosystem, as well as our systems and services: Payments Canada explained.
• Interactive fireside chats with main stage speakers, including Judith Hamel, Director General at the Department of Finance Canada and Erin Elofson, President of Mastercard Canada.
• ‘Blue-sky’ exploration of the potential benefits of Canada’s Real-Time Rail, including anti-fraud and overlay services, rooted in the experiences of other jurisdictions: Real-time payments: Envisioning possibilities and future use cases and Confirmation of payee: Network-driven fraud prevention in the UK and EU.
• Advice for professional growth and development tailored to the payment market, including: The skills you need to thrive in payments – now and in the future and True or false? Your network is your net worth
• Critical perspectives on governance and regulatory compliance, including how to navigate intricate risks while maintaining the momentum of industry innovation: The evolving role of in-house counsel, a legal and policy lens  and the importance of timely and relevant perspectives provided through the Payments Canada Stakeholder Advisory Council: How diverse insights inform payment evolution.
• As well as a product demo hour with demonstrations by IR, DataVisor, Clarity Global Inc. and TrendAI. Adriana Vega, Executive Director of Fintechs Canada will join me for a fireside chat to kick it off: Thriving in the evolving fintech landscape.

In addition to hosting the Idea Exchange, I’ll be joined by my team to present our research on the evolving payment landscape, challenges and payment innovations in Canada. Join us for the session on Tuesday, May 5: Perspectives on the Canadian payment landscape: past, present and future.

Idea Exchange sessions are being added to The SUMMIT agenda regularly. I encourage you to register now to secure your spot at this event, which is selling quickly.