Outlier Compliance Group

10/15/2026

Your startup pivoted. Your compliance program is still haunted by the old business model.

This week’s Weekly Cup of Compliance brings you another Real Compliance Nightmare. In this episode, a startup changes direction completely, but their compliance program stays the same.

Dr. Amber D. Scott explains why a program has to reflect what you are doing right now, and what can wait versus what cannot.

Catch this week's Weekly Cup of Compliance below.

10/14/2026

One year ago, the Bank of Canada's operational framework for payment service providers came into force. Since then, Retail Payments Supervision has moved from implementation to supervision.

So where are we?
- The first annual reporting cycle is complete
- The Bank issued its first public notices of violation in June 2026
- PSPs are getting direct requests to show evidence of compliance

The question for year two isn't whether you have a framework. It's whether you can show it's implemented, tested and working.

Our latest post covers what PSPs should be planning for now: annual internal reviews, the next reporting cycle, enforcement, and the independent reviews that may be required by September 2028.

Read more in the link below.

A year into the RPAA, the Bank of Canada has moved from implementation to supervision. Here's what PSPs need to do in year two to stay compliant.

10/13/2026

If crypto ATMs want to stay, the controls have to be much stronger than what we see at most today.

In this week’s Weekly Cup of Compliance, our team asks whether Canada should ban Bitcoin ATMs. The case for change is hard to ignore. People are losing serious money to scams, and prominent warnings on the machines are not stopping them.

A ban is complicated, particularly for legitimate operators. The standard, though, is rising.

Catch this week’s Weekly Cup of Compliance below.

10/13/2026

A quick reminder for anyone attending the 4th Annual JVC Security Summit: Dr. Amber D. Scott, our Chairperson & Co-Founder, is presenting today on financial crime, fraud and FINTRAC. 🎤

Session details are available in the comments below. We look forward to connecting with you there.

10/10/2026

Happy Thanksgiving! Wishing everyone a warm and wonderful weekend filled with good food, great company, and plenty to be grateful for. 🍂

Your favourite compliance ninjas will be back on Tuesday, October 13!

10/09/2026

We’re pleased to share that our Chairperson & Co-Founder, Dr. Amber D. Scott, DBA, MBA, CIPP/C, CBP, FIS, CAMS, will be presenting at the 4th Annual JVC Security Summit on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. 🎤

📌 Topic: Financial Crime, Fraud, Friction and FINTRAC
🕚 Time: 11:00 AM

This will be a timely conversation for professionals working across AML, compliance and fraud prevention.

As fraud continues to pose significant challenges for Canadians and businesses, including jewellers, understanding evolving financial crime risks and how organizations can respond effectively while meeting their regulatory obligations remains an important part of the conversation.

We’re looking forward to being part of the Summit and connecting with compliance and risk friends. If you'll be attending, come say hi! 👋

Interested in attending? Learn more and register via the link in the comments.

10/08/2026

This month, we’re kicking off Real Compliance Nightmares, a mini-series as part of our Weekly Cup of Compliance. Join us each week in October for real compliance horror stories and lessons to help your business avoid them. 👻

In this week’s episode, Dr. Amber D. Scott walks through the story of a company that believed an AI tool when it said the company was not regulated. The tool was wrong!

The lesson goes beyond "don't trust AI." Confirm your status against primary sources, and bring in local expertise if something has already gone wrong.

AI is a good starting point. It is not a decision.

Catch this week's Weekly Cup of Compliance below.

10/06/2026

Canada's National Risk Assessment provides a clearer picture of how FINTRAC is categorizing sectors and where its examination priorities are likely to be focused.

In this week's Weekly Cup of Compliance, David Vijan walks through the risk tiers established by the assessment, from very high risk sectors like banks, MSBs, and crypto exchanges, to newer medium risk entrants like factoring and finance and leasing companies.

Sector classification matters, but it is not the only factor. A firm's individual size and transaction volume can move it up the priority list regardless of where its sector sits in the assessment.

Understanding where your firm lands, and why, is the first step in anticipating regulatory attention.

☕ Catch this week's Weekly Cup of Compliance below.

09/16/2026

Last month, Outlier celebrated 13 years in business!

When we founded Outlier, the goal was simple: build a firm that provided practical, senior-level compliance advice with integrity, independence, and technical excellence. Since then, we’ve had the privilege of supporting hundreds of organizations as the regulatory landscape has continued to evolve.

Thirteen years have taught us a few things.

First, culture matters. We hire people we admire and strive to create an environment where expertise, collaboration, and respect come first.

Second, not every opportunity is the right opportunity. Over the years, we’ve become more selective about the work we take on, allowing us to focus on clients who value compliance as a strategic advantage, rather than simply a regulatory obligation.

Finally, continuous improvement never stops. The regulations change, risks change, and our clients’ businesses grow. We believe our firm should too.

That same commitment to growth and continuous improvement has led us to one of the most exciting milestones in Outlier’s history: the launch of our sister company, Outlier USA.

While we’ve supported clients domiciled in many jurisdictions with Canadian compliance matters, we’re now establishing a dedicated U.S. practice with its own team of experienced U.S. compliance professionals. Outlier Canada and Outlier USA will each be led by experts in their respective jurisdictions (we don’t believe in global experts), while sharing the same values, practical approach, and commitment to exceptional client service.

To mark this milestone, we’ve refreshed our logo and moved our website to outliercompliance.com (don’t worry, outliercanada.com still gets you to us). While our brand and reach are expanding, our mission remains the same: providing practical, senior-level regulatory expertise that helps organizations navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment.

For our Canadian entity, we have changed our legal name from Outlier Solutions Inc. to Outlier Compliance Canada Inc. This change better reflects our expanding operations as we continue to grow. Note this is a legal name change only, your existing agreements and primary contacts will remain unchanged.

To our clients, partners and industry friends thank you for your trust over the past 13 years.

09/01/2026

FINTRAC has moved to an enforcement posture, and the compliance programs that were built around the old corrective action model need to be reassessed.

In this week's Weekly Cup of Compliance, Dr. Amber D. Scott explains how the penalty landscape has changed, where penalties are now being triggered, and why even a first examination is no longer a safe starting point for addressing gaps.

Self-reporting tools, follow-up meetings, information demands, and unregistered MSB status can all now result in direct penalties. The formal examination is no longer the only path to a fine.

Regulators expect compliance from day one. The enforcement posture reflects that expectation.

☕ Catch this week's Weekly Cup of Compliance below.