AI & Lending

When Canada's banking regulator starts publishing a bulletin called "The Ledger" with its own ISSN number, you know things are getting serious. OSFI's first issue, released January 19, 2026, marks the official starting gun for the implementation phase of the Data Collection Modernization initiative. And while "data collection modernization" ranks somewhere between "drainage infrastructure" and "HVAC maintenance" on the excitement scale, the implications for Canadian banking are genuinely transformative.

The Competition Bureau just told Canadians they're leaving billions on the table because moving their data feels like moving apartments. And honestly? They're not wrong.

The maximum fine for failing to report suspicious mortgage activity just jumped from half a million to twenty million dollars. That is not a typo. Welcome to the new reality of Canadian mortgage lending compliance.

After years of consultation fatigue and regulatory hesitation, Canada's federal government unveiled Budget 2025 on November 4, accompanied by fintech announcements that actually move the needle. If you're operating in the Canadian financial services sector and haven't fully grasped what just happened, buckle up.

If you're running a challenger bank, neobank, or fintech in Canada and you're not popping champagne right now, you haven't been paying attention.