May 13-14 • Fairmont Royal York • Toronto
Navigate Canada's Payments Compliance Landscape
From Fundamentals to Future
Day 1 • Tuesday, May 13
9:00am – 5:30pm: Sessions
6:00pm: Networking Reception / Dinner
8:30am
Registration & Light Breakfast
9:00am
Opening Remarks
JODIE KELLEY
CEO
ETA
9:05am
Overview of Regulatory Environment for Payments
This session will provide a comprehensive look at the key regulatory bodies overseeing the payments industry in Canada, their roles, and how they interact with the financial ecosystem.
Tracy Molino
Counsel
Blakes
9:35am
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
This session will delve into the FCAC's role in protecting consumers, its regulatory framework, and recent initiatives to enhance financial literacy and consumer protection. We'll also focus on its role as the regulator for Open Banking and how it is think about the RPAA.
Mena Bellofiore
Partner
Blakes
10:20am
Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA)
Department of Finance announced finalized regulatory amendments under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) that accelerate the in force date for several key changes to April 1, 2025 — six months sooner than the originally proposed in force date of October 1, 2025.
These include amendments to bring new sectors within scope of Canada’s anti-money laundering and terrorist financing legislation, meaning entities previously not subject to the PCMLTFA must now establish and implement compliance programs on a very compressed timeline that is six months earlier than anticipated.
This session will dive into compliance with the new amendments.
Jackie Shinfield
Partner
Blakes
10:55am
Money Services Businesses
This session would address the new regulatory environment for money services businesses in Canada, including licensing, compliance obligations, and risk management. It will discuss recent amendments to expand who is subject to AML and new reporting requirements for regulated entities.
11:20am
Retail Payments Activities Act
This session will provide insights into the RPAA, its implications for payment service providers, and how it aims to enhance the safety and efficiency of retail payments.
11:55am
PayFacs
Acting as intermediaries, PayFacs face numerous compliance challenges, primarily revolving around Anti-Money Laundering (AML) regulations, Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures, and merchant underwriting. These challenges include staying ahead of evolving fraud techniques, managing diverse merchant profiles, and navigating complex regulatory landscapes. Additionally, payment facilitators need to ensure their sub-merchants comply with regulations and avoid assisting in any unlawful activities.
This session will explore the compliance issues facing PayFacs today.
12:20pm
Keynote Speaker
James Hicks
CEO
Moneris
12:30pm
Lunch
Tables hosted by lawyers at Blakes.
1:35pm
Code of Conduct
The Code of Conduct provides certain rights to merchants and is relevant for all entities that issue payment cards or facilitate payment card acceptance in Canada. Significant changes to disclosure requirements, notification periods and complaints-handling procedures became effective October 30, 2024 while others are effective April 30, 2025. This panel of experts will discuss the challenges with complying with the changes.
2:20pm
Finance Canada’s Agenda
This fireside chat explores Finance Canada's strategic priorities for the payments sector, including innovation, security, and consumer protection.
2:50pm
Interac's Agenda
The future of payments in Canada is shaped by several key trends. Omnichannel interoperability ensures seamless transactions across platforms and devices, supported by initiatives like Payments Canada's Real-Time Rail. AI predicts payment behavior, enhancing fraud detection and personalized services, but requires stronger security and digital identity solutions. Enhanced security and identity verification are crucial as digital payments grow, with systems like Self-Sovereign Identity reducing fraud risks. Finally, the ability to pay anywhere, anytime, on any device offers convenience but also posess security challenges, which can be addressed through innovative solutions to build consumer trust. This session will discuss how Interac is thinking about these topics.
Kris Tsaousidis
Leader Client Relationships, Merchant
Interac Corp
3:05pm
Coffee Break
3:20pm
Open Banking
Canada’s open banking initiative, now termed “consumer-driven banking”, has progressed under the Consumer Driven Banking Act, allowing secure third-party data sharing for retail banks. The FCC will oversee CDB in phases, with the largest retail banks first in line to comply. Payments Canada’s real-time payment system, delayed until 2026 for industry testing, represents Canada’s broader modernization efforts. This session features banks and fintechs discussing the challenges and opportunities of Open Banking.
Jun Chao Meng
Senior Counsel
TD Bank
Ameeta Devaprasad
Executive Director, Global Payments
J.P. Morgan
Ivy Gupta
Lead Product Counsel, Payments
Plaid
Kathryn L. McCall
Chief Legal and Compliance Officer and General Counsel, Americas
Trustly
Vladimir Shatiryan (M)
Partner
Blakes
4:05pm
Artificial Intelligence
AI is strengthening the way payments are conducted. From fraud prevention to customer service, learn how AI is making compliance easier in this session.
4:35pm
Deeper Dive Conversation
Individual tables hosted Blakes. This is an opportunity to sit with the lawyers for deeper discussions.
5:30pm
Break
6:00pm
Networking Reception/Dinner
Tables hosted by individual lawyers from Blakes.
Day 2 • Wednesday, May 14
9:00am – 12:00pm: Sessions
12:00pm: Networking Lunch
8:00am
Breakfast
With Blakes attorneys.
9:00am
Overview of Politics
ETA works with policymakers in Ottawa to advance good public policy for the economy, consumers, merchants, and the payments industry. This session will discuss how the newly-elected Parliament views our industry.
Michael von Herff
Managing Partner
Public Affairs Advisors
9:25am
Payments Canada
With changes to the Canadian Payments Act having received Royal Assent, new entities will be able to become members of Payments Canada. In this session, Payments Canada will explain what it takes to become a member, the requirements to become a participant, and what membership expansion means for existing members and new members from a compliance perspective.
Lisa Sattler
Director, Policy
Payments Canada
10:00am
Compliance from the Industry Perspective
Compliance has many sides. This panel will hear from industry players and how they think about staying on top of compliance issues.
10:35am
Compliance with Network Rules
This session will focus on the latest network rules including monitoring merchant risk and preventing fraud.
11:15am
Fireside Chat with Networks and Q&A
Compliance has many sides. This panel will hear from industry players and how they think about staying on top of compliance issues.
12:00pm
Concluding Remarks
Scott Talbott, ETA CPP
EVP
ETA
12:05pm
Networking Lunch
Tables hosted by individual law firms to facilitate deeper discussion.