OTTAWA, ON, March 27, 2026 /CNW/ - Today marks the conclusion of the fifth Spin Cycle Conference, a three-day gathering of more than 1100 financial crime investigators, prosecutors and experts from across Canada's public sector.
This year's meeting focused on how organized crime networks are laundering money, including crypto- and Artificial Intelligence (AI) - enabled fraud, counterfeit currency, civil forfeiture and fraud prevention. Participants shared updates on key enforcement actions, legal proceedings and emerging trends in their regions.
The conference builds on recent Government of Canada actions to combat organized crime and cut off the illicit money that fuels it. Key actions include:
- Introducing Bill C‑22, an Act to Keep Canadians Safe, which gives law enforcement and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) the tools they need to investigate serious crimes like money laundering and the technologies and digital services that enable them.
- Investing $1.7 billion through Budget 2025 to strengthen the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)'s response to a wide range of threats related to transnational organized crime, financial crimes and money laundering, and fulfilling the Government's commitment to hire 1,000 new personnel, of which 150 will focus on financial crimes.
- Establishing a new Financial Crimes Agency to serve as Canada's lead enforcement body against financial crime. This agency will be a best-in-class model that aims to unite the police and civilian expertise needed to investigate complex cases of money laundering, organized criminal activity, and online financial scams, and to recover illicit proceeds.
- Directing the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) to prioritize and mobilize tactical financial intelligence for law enforcement to support the detection and disruption of extortion.
- Advancing Canada's first-ever National Anti-Fraud Strategy to better prevent, detect and respond to fraud across the country.
- Bringing into force major reforms to strengthen Canada's anti‑money laundering (AML) and anti‑terrorist financing (ATF) supervision, compliance, and enforcement, including increasing civil penalties forty‑fold and criminal fines ten‑fold. These measures reinforce the role of businesses in detecting and reporting illicit financial activity.
To conclude the meeting, officials emphasized the importance of the financial crime community in finding and stopping the financial networks that fund organized crime. The Government of Canada remains committed to working with partners across jurisdictions to protect Canadians and their communities.
Quote(s)
"Transnational organized crime uses complex financial networks to move and hide money. Bringing together financial crime investigators and prosecutors from across Canada at the Spin Cycle Conference strengthens our ability to target the illicit money that fuels organized crime, disrupt criminal networks, and protect Canadians."
- The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety
Quick facts
- Spin Cycle launched in 2021 as the first and only public sector large-scale conference of anti-money laundering/financial crime professionals and has grown substantially since then. The conference is organized by Public Safety Canada.
- Since 2019, the government has invested close to $379 million in combatting financial crimes. These investments have strengthened supervision and financial intelligence functions at FINTRAC, increased resources and tools to support financial crime investigations, and enhanced Canada's ability to combat trade-based financial crime.
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Contacts: Simon Lafortune, Deputy Director of Communications and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]
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