Payments Canada published amendments to the Automated Clearing and Settlement System (ACSS) rules, effective April 28, 2025, to clarify bill payment incident management, improve tracing of payment transactions and align requirements for funds transfer pre-authorized debits (PADs), alongside a broader set of administrative edits to modernize language across the rule set. Updates to ACSS Rules E3, F1 and F4 clarify participant responsibilities when responding to error correction debit requests for bill payment errors and aim to improve consistency in incident resolution. Revisions to Rules F1 and F4 also support more efficient tracing so participants can better locate and investigate payments. Rule H1 was revised to reflect current operational practices for funds transfer PADs and maintain consistency across the wider rules, while editorial amendments spanning multiple rules were described as administrative changes focused on clarity and consistency. Separately, Payments Canada will add a new AFT Transaction Code Standard 007, requested by Public Services and Procurement Canada in late 2024, to support distribution of Canada Disability Payments, with the new code taking effect July 1, 2025.
Payments Canada 2025-05-01
Payments Canada updates ACSS rules effective April 28 2025 and introduces new AFT code for Canada Disability Payments
Payments Canada has amended the Automated Clearing and Settlement System (ACSS) rules, effective April 28, 2025, to enhance bill payment incident management, improve payment tracing, and align pre-authorized debit requirements. Updates to Rules E3, F1, and F4 clarify participant responsibilities and improve incident resolution, while Rule H1 revisions reflect current practices. A new AFT Transaction Code Standard 007 will be introduced on July 1, 2025, to facilitate Canada Disability Payments.