If I had to sum up 2025 in one word, it would be exhausting.
Not the most inspiring message to open a new year, but I think most Canadians would agree: between the constant socioeconomic and political noise, shifting priorities, and global uncertainty, it felt like as a nation we were carrying more than usual.
And yet, for all the fatigue, 2025 was also deeply meaningful, with real highlights. We saw a renewed sense of unity and national pride as Canadians faced threats and challenges head-on. Alongside that came a real focus on innovation and collaboration across the country.
At Interac, it was the first year of our three-year strategy, and we delivered. We grew the existing business while pushing forward on a bold plan to expand our products and lines of business. For me personally, it was a year of building—solidifying my leadership team, welcoming new voices around the table, and watching a group of people truly start to gel.
So yes, 2025 was exhausting. But it was also clarifying. It reminded us what matters. It forced us to pay attention. And in many ways, it helped us find our footing again.
As we enter 2026, it’s time to turn that momentum into execution. Last year saw plenty of talk—talk of innovation, resilience, productivity, and competitiveness. Those conversations were necessary. They surfaced hard truths and overdue priorities. But this year has to be about moving from conversation to delivery. It’s time to get going.
In my world, that shows up in very real ways: open banking, digital assets, fraud prevention, new regulatory frameworks. The budget has passed. The direction is set. Now it’s about execution. That doesn’t mean waiting for everything to be perfect, or for every detail to be ironed out. It means shovels in the ground. The work won’t be done in a year. But 2026 has to be about taking it seriously, investing accordingly, and delivering, starting now.
The other topic du jour in 2025 was sovereignty. And if you thought that theme would fall to the back burner in 2026, think again. A couple weeks into the new year and global politics are already reminding us how quickly things can change. What once felt theoretical now feels very real. For Canadians, questions about national security, energy, manufacturing, data infrastructure, and financial services are front and centre.
As a nation, we’ve taken for granted that critical systems will simply be there for us when we need them. We’re now realizing that digital infrastructure is core to the health and wellness of a nation. It underpins our economy, our security, and our ability to act independently. We don’t want to discover too late that we’ve neglected the foundations that let us make our own choices. We don’t want to be beholden. Sovereignty, in this context, is about ensuring that Canada has real influence over the levers that matter and our collective future.
All of which leads me to values. At a human level, when things feel stable, it’s easy to default to convenience. To take what’s cheapest, fastest, or most familiar. It’s only when there’s a sense that something could be taken away that we start to ask, what’s actually important?
I find myself thinking more about the choices I make and how they reflect not only my personal values, but the Canadian values admired around the world—fairness, responsibility, and a deep sense of community. I know I’m not alone. Over the past year, we’ve seen Canadians step up and make thoughtful choices when it matters. Choosing to buy Canadian. Choosing Interac Debit or Interac e‑Transfer instead of credit. Choosing how and where they travel.
These decisions may seem small, but together they reflect who we are as a country: people who look out for one another, who act with integrity, and who understand that individual choices, multiplied across millions, shape the nation we continue to build. That’s something I hope we carry proudly into 2026.
If 2025 taught me anything, it’s that there’s nothing like a bit of crisis to remind us how lucky we are as Canadians. We live in a country that people around the world still aspire to call home. There’s work to do. A lot of it. But there’s also momentum. There’s talent. There’s a renewed sense among Canadians of what’s at stake and what’s possible.
If I could hope for one word to describe Canada’s story in 2026, it would be energized. The kind of energy that comes from doing the work, seeing the progress, and knowing you’re moving in the right direction.
