Petition to the Government of Canada
Protect Canadian Payment Infrastructure: Keep Moneris Under Canadian Ownership and Control

To the House of Commons in Parliament Assembled:

We, the undersigned residents and citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to take all necessary measures to prevent the sale, transfer, acquisition, or effective control of Moneris Solutions Corporation by any non-Canadian entity, including foreign private equity firms.

Moneris is one of Canada's largest payment processors and plays a critical role in enabling electronic payments for businesses, charities, institutions, and consumers across the country. Millions of payment transactions are processed through systems that support Canada's economy every day.

As Canada continues to digitize its economy, payment processing infrastructure has become an essential component of our national economic security. Control over these systems affects not only merchants and consumers but also the stability, privacy, resilience, and independence of Canada's financial ecosystem.

We believe that:

Payment processing infrastructure is strategically important to Canada's economy.

Electronic payment systems support businesses of all sizes and facilitate commerce in every region of the country. The interruption or disruption of these services can have significant economic consequences.
Canadian ownership supports national economic sovereignty.

Critical financial infrastructure should remain subject to Canadian laws, Canadian regulatory oversight, and Canadian public policy objectives.
Foreign acquisitions may prioritise investor returns over long-term Canadian interests.

Private equity ownership often emphasizes short-term financial performance, which may

lead to cost reductions, restructuring, outsourcing, or operational decisions that are not aligned with the long-term needs of Canadian businesses and consumers.
Data stewardship and privacy are matters of public interest.

Payment processors handle sensitive transaction information. Canadians should have confidence that governance decisions regarding such infrastructure remain accountable to Canadian institutions and regulatory frameworks.
Canada should preserve domestic expertise and jobs.

Maintaining Canadian ownership helps protect high-quality Canadian employment, technology investment, and decision-making capacity within the country.
Critical financial infrastructure deserves enhanced review standards.

Transactions involving major payment processors should be subject to rigorous public interest and national security reviews before ownership or control is transferred outside Canada.
Therefore, we call upon the Government of Canada to:

Review the proposed sale of Moneris to a non-Canadian entity under all applicable federal authorities, including the Investment Canada Act.
Recognize major payment processing infrastructure as a strategic national asset.
Develop a policy framework to protect Canadian ownership and control of critical payment infrastructure.
Require enhanced public-interest and national-security assessments for acquisitions involving major Canadian payment processors.
Take all reasonable actions available to ensure that Moneris remains under Canadian ownership and control.
By signing this petition, we affirm that Canada's payment infrastructure is a strategic asset that should remain accountable to Canadians and operated in the long-term interest of Canada's economy, businesses, and citizens.

Sincerely,

The undersigned citizens and residents of Canada.