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CLA acquires the Canadian Regulatory Technology Association to Strengthen Canada’s Financial Services Ecosystem

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CLA acquires the Canadian Regulatory Technology Association
to Strengthen Canada’s Financial Services Ecosystem

February 17th, 2026

Toronto, Canada – The Canadian Lenders Association (CLA) today announced the acquisition of the Canadian Regulatory Technology Association (CRTA) into the CLA ecosystem. The initiative reflects the continued evolution of the CLA’s mandate and reinforces its role as a national voice not only for lenders, but for the broader financial solutions infrastructure that supports modern financial services.

Over the past several years, the CLA has deliberately expanded its scope beyond lending to represent the full financial services value chain, including fintech, payments, wealthtech, and insurtech. This evolution recognizes a structural market reality: capital, technology, compliance, risk, and customer experience now operate as an interconnected system.

Integrating RegTech is a strategic continuation of that trajectory.

Why RegTech Is Foundational

Regulatory technology is no longer peripheral or experimental. It is core infrastructure. Across Canada’s financial services sector, firms are confronting:

  • Intensifying AML, sanctions, and fraud enforcement
  • Heightened regulatory scrutiny and reporting obligations
  • Rising compliance costs and operational complexity
  • Increased focus on data governance, privacy, and consumer protection
  • Pressure to modernize legacy compliance frameworks

RegTech directly addresses these challenges by enabling automation, intelligence, scalability, and real-time oversight across compliance and risk functions.

“Our members are navigating sustained regulatory intensity, escalating fraud sophistication, and rising expectations around data governance and transparency. RegTech is core operating infrastructure,” said Gary Schwartz, President and CEO of the Canadian Lenders Association. “By integrating CRTA into the CLA, we are embedding technical compliance expertise directly into our ecosystem, ensuring members have the insight, innovation, and execution capability needed to manage risk effectively and compete at scale.”

The Value of CRTA

The Canadian Regulatory Technology Association has built a credible, practitioner-focused community of RegTech companies and subject matter experts. CRTA has:

  • Convened trusted dialogue among RegTech providers, financial institutions, and regulators
  • Advanced real world use cases across AML, fraud, data management, third party risk and compliance
  • Elevated Canadian RegTech capabilities domestically and internationally
  • Built technical credibility in a highly regulated and sensitive domain
  • Played a leading role in shaping industry conversations on AI governance and risk management

“The Canadian RegTech Association has played a critical role in establishing Canada’s RegTech identity and supporting domestic innovation. However, no single organization can do this alone”, said Donna Bales, Founder of the Canadian Regulatory Technology Association. “By aligning with a like-minded partner, we can amplify impact and accelerate collaboration across the industry to ensure Canadian financial services remain secure, competitive and globally relevant.”

Strategic Benefits for the CLA Community

The proposed integration delivers tangible value to CLA members:

  • Access to Innovation
    Direct exposure to RegTech solutions across lending, payments, wealth management, insurance, and adjacent sectors.
  • Stronger Policy and Advocacy
    Enhanced government submissions and regulatory engagement informed by technical implementation expertise.
  • More Actionable Roundtables
    Risk, compliance, fraud, and technology discussions shift from conceptual to execution-focused dialogue.
  • Enhanced Events and Programming
    Deeper technical content, practical case studies, and innovation showcases across CLA summits and forums.
  • Future-Proofing the Association
    Embedding RegTech capability ensures alignment with the direction of financial services modernization.

Governance and Integration Principles

  • RegTech expertise will be integrated into existing CLA governance structures and sector initiatives.
  • RegTech will function as a horizontal capability supporting multiple verticals.
  • The integration strengthens, rather than dilutes, the CLA’s role as a national financial services voice.

This initiative reflects both the maturation of the RegTech sector and the CLA’s continued evolution as a modern, ecosystem-oriented association. The proposed integration enhances the value of membership and reinforces Canada’s capacity to lead in regulatory innovation, compliance modernization, and financial system resilience.

About the Canadian Lenders Association
The Canadian Lenders Association is the national association representing banks, fintechs, and financial solution providers across Canada’s lending and financial services ecosystem.

About the Canadian Regulatory Technology Association
The Canadian Regulatory Technology Association supports the growth and adoption of regulatory technology solutions, fostering collaboration between industry, innovators, and regulators to advance compliance excellence in Canada.