---
title: 'Government Relations Lead at EQ Bank | Canada''s Challenger Bank'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/government-relations-lead-eq-bank-canada-s-challenger-bank-toronto-a97n2fjn1kgf'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-08'
---

# Government Relations Lead at EQ Bank | Canada's Challenger Bank

- **Company:** EQ Bank | Canada's Challenger Bank
- **Location:** Toronto, Canada
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-08-19
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-08
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/eqbank/2f9ec402-41e0-4000-8bfb-bb572a83077d

## Job description

Join a Challenger At EQ, we're remaking banking so every Canadian gets ahead, every day. Serving nearly 4 million Canadians from coast to coast, we offer a wide variety of financial services from banking and lending, to trust and credit union solutions.

We've been at this since 1970, challenging the conventions of traditional banking with smarter, faster, and more connected financial experiences.

What's kept us moving?  The people behind it all: challengers who ask better questions, push back on old assumptions, and look for a better way forward.

If you're driven to help reshape how banking works for Canadians and the businesses that power our economy, this could be your next big opportunity.

We can’t wait to get to know you!

The Work

The Associate Director, Government Relations serves as EQ Bank's senior subject-matter expert on government relations, public policy, and legislative and regulatory affairs. Reporting to the Vice President, Head of the Office of the CEO, the role advances and protects the Bank's interests with federal, provincial, and municipal governments, regulators, industry associations, and other external stakeholders. Operating as an individual contributor and trusted advisor, the incumbent monitors and analyzes the external public-policy environment, translates emerging legislative and regulatory developments into clear implications for the Bank, and develops and executes advocacy strategies that support EQ Bank's purpose, strategy, and reputation as Canada's Challenger Bank. The role works closely with the Office of the CEO, senior leaders, and cross-functional partners in Legal, Risk, Compliance, and Communications to ensure the Bank speaks with a unified, credible, and well-informed voice in the public-policy arena.

The Core Responsibilities

Government Relations & Advocacy Strategy

Develop, recommend, and execute the Bank's government-relations and advocacy strategy across federal, provincial, and municipal levels, aligned to enterprise priorities and reputational objectives.

Build and maintain trusted relationships with elected officials, political staff, public servants, central agencies, and regulators to advance the Bank's positions.

Prepare and deliver advocacy materials, position papers, submissions, briefing notes, correspondence, and consultation responses, for government and regulatory audiences.

Identify and pursue opportunities to participate in public consultations (e.g., pre-budget consultations and regulatory consultations) and in industry coalitions and working groups.

Ensure all lobbying activity is conducted ethically and in compliance with the federal Lobbying Act and applicable provincial lobbyist-registration requirements, and maintain accurate registrations and reporting.

Policy Monitoring, Analysis & Advisory

Monitor, track, and analyze legislative and public-policy developments relevant to the Bank (e.g., housing finance, payments, consumer protection, financial crime, and privacy) and assess their implications for the Bank's strategy, positioning, and advocacy priorities.

Provide timely, insightful briefings and recommendations to the VP, Head of the Office of the CEO, the CEO's office, and senior leaders on policy risks and opportunities.

Translate complex policy and regulatory matters into clear, actionable guidance for internal stakeholders and decision-makers.

Maintain a forward-looking view of the political and legislative calendar and proactively anticipate issues that may affect the Bank.

Stakeholder & Industry Engagement

Serve as a key liaison with relevant industry and trade associations (e.g., the Canadian Bankers Association, FDATA, etc.) and represent the Bank on committees and working groups.

Coordinate cross-functionally with Legal, Risk, Compliance, Communications, business lines and external agencies to develop unified, well-vetted external positions.

Support the preparation of the CEO and senior executives for government meetings, external engagements, appearances, and industry events.

Issues Management & Reputation

Partner with Communications/PR and Legal to manage public-policy-related issues and protect the Bank's reputation.

Provide government-relations input into enterprise-risk and reputational-risk processes.

Support the Bank's participation in relevant public forums, submissions, and events.

Governance & Reporting

Maintain accurate records, registrations, and reporting related to government-relations activity.

Develop metrics and reporting to track advocacy progress and the impact of government-relations initiatives.

Ensure government-relations activities comply with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, internal policies, and ethical standards.

Let's Talk About You

Undergraduate degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Public Administration, Law, Economics, Business, Communications, or a related discipline; a graduate degree (e.g., MPP, MPA, MBA, LLB/JD) is considered an asset.

Minimum 8–10 years of progressive experience in government relations, public affairs, public policy, or regulatory affairs - gained within government, a regulator, an industry association, a financial institution, or a public-affairs/consulting firm.

Strong understanding of the Canadian legislative and regulatory environment, the machinery of government, and the policy-development process at the federal and provincial levels.

Working knowledge of the financial-services regulatory landscape (e.g., OSFI, the Department of Finance, FCAC, the Bank of Canada, Payments Canada, and provincial regulators such as FSRA) is strongly preferred.

Familiarity with the federal Lobbying Act and provincial lobbyist-registration regimes.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft submissions, briefing notes, and correspondence for senior and external audiences.

Proven ability to build relationships and influence senior stakeholders, government officials, and industry partners without direct authority.

Strong analytical, research, and critical-thinking skills, with the ability to distill complex policy issues into clear, actionable recommendations.

Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to manage sensitive and confidential matters with integrity.

Experience in a regulated industry and prior financial-services experience is considered an asset; an established network within government, regulatory, and/or industry-association circles is an asset.

## What we offer [For full-time permanent roles]

💰 Competitive discretionary bonus ✨ Market leading RRSP match program 🩺  Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits 📝  Employee Share Purchase Plan 👶🏽 Maternity/Parental top-up while you care for your little one 🏝 Generous vacation policy and personal days 🖥  Virtual events to connect with your fellow colleagues 🎓  Professional development and comprehensive Career Development program 💛  A fulfilling opportunity to join one of the top FinTechs and help create a new kind of banking experience

The incumbent will be working hybrid and in office time will be spent working from EQ Bank’s additional office space located at 2200-25 Ontario Street, Toronto, ON.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion EQ is committed to building an inclusive, accessible environment where every employee feels valued, respected, and supported. We believe our organization is stronger — and our people thrive — when we honour and celebrate diverse experiences, identities, and perspectives. We’re equally committed to supporting your growth, both professionally and personally. We provide a barrier‑free recruitment process and work environment. If you require accommodations at any stage, we will work with you to ensure you can bring your best self to the process and beyond. As part of our recruitment process, EQ uses AI to help screen, assess, and/or select applicants for this position. All AI-enabled outputs are reviewed and validated by our talent team. All candidates considered for hire must successfully complete a criminal background check and credit check. While we appreciate every application, an EQ recruiter will contact only those whose skills and experience most closely match the requirements of the role.

EQB Inc. (TSX: EQB) is the parent company of Equitable Bank, the country's seventh-largest Schedule I bank by assets, which operates EQ Bank, Canada's Challenger Bank™. EQB Inc. serves nearly 4 million Canadians and manages approximately $150 billion in combined assets under management and administration.

To learn more, visit eqb.investorroom.com and eqbank.ca.

## About EQ Bank | Canada's Challenger Bank

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: A Canadian challenger bank providing digital-first personal and commercial banking, lending, and asset management through its EQ Bank platform and parent company EQB Inc.
- **Entity Type**: Public (TSX: EQB)
- **Headquarters**: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- **Founded**: 1970
- **Founders**: Not publicly available

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Banking, Financial Services, Digital Banking, Asset Management
- **Target customers**: B2C (Canadian consumers), B2B (small businesses, credit unions, commercial real estate borrowers)
- **Mission / purpose**: “Drive change in Canadian banking to enrich people’s lives” — challenging the status quo to bring more competition and better value to Canadians.

## Products & Services
- **EQ Bank**: Canada’s first all-digital, cloud-based bank offering high-interest savings, registered accounts, GICs, and everyday banking (SaaS-like digital platform)
- **Business Banking**: Recently launched all-digital banking platform for small businesses, offering greater value and a differentiated experience
- **Commercial Banking**: Lending focused on insured multi-unit residential securitization, serving builders and renovators of rental apartment supply
- **Insurance (Equitable Trust/Concentra)**: Home and auto insurance, estate and trust services
- **Asset Management (ACM Advisors)**: Alternative asset management for institutional investors
- **Credit Union Solutions**: Services for nearly 200 Canadian credit unions, serving approximately six million members

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not directly disclosed in provided sources; combined assets under management and administration are $151 billion (company overview) – $138 billion (annual report). Market cap is not publicly available in the provided data.
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of $270 million (LinkedIn estimate); public company with SEC/TSX filings.
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Exclusive financial partner of Loblaw Companies Limited’s PC Optimum™ loyalty program (18+ million members). Recognized as one of Forbes’ World’s Best Banks (2021‑2025) and named top bank in Canada and North America by The Banker (Financial Times, 2025).
- **Growth Signals**: 607,000 EQ Bank customers at end of Q4 2025 (18% YoY increase); directly serves over 779,000 customers; employee count grew to ~1,950 (from ~1,360 on LinkedIn, indicating significant hiring); moved into new national headquarters at EQ Bank Tower in Toronto (May 2025).

## Competitive Advantages
- **First-mover digital advantage**: Canada’s first all-digital bank, built on a proprietary cloud platform that enables rapid product development and fintech collaborations.
- **Challenger brand identity**: Distinct positioning as a “Challenger Bank™” that actively disrupts the big-five bank oligopoly, attracting customers seeking better value.
- **Massive embedded reach**: Exclusive partnership with PC Optimum (18M+ members) gives EQ Bank deep integration into daily Canadian spending.
- **Strong regulatory standing**: Operating as a Schedule I bank (7th largest by assets) with OSFI regulation, providing trust and stability.

## Strategic Focus
- **Open banking leadership**: Advocating for and integrating open banking to give customers control over their financial data and enable better choices.
- **Digital expansion**: Scaling the EQ Bank platform (record customer growth) and recently launching Business Banking to capture small business market.
- **Innovation & efficiency**: Leveraging cloud-native platform to drive best-in-class cost efficiencies and rapidly innovate new products.
- **Talent growth**: Investing in leadership development programs and building a pipeline of future leaders to sustain growth.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Recognized on LinkedIn Top Companies list for workplace growth and career progression (2024) and Canada’s Best Workplaces™ (2023). Emphasizes authenticity, inclusion, and a “Challenger” mindset.
- **Work model**: Hybrid work model with flexible hours, generous vacation, and a “work from away” program.
- **Compensation & benefits**: Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, fertility, and mental health support; company equity via stock matching; retirement savings plan with matching; 12 weeks top-up pay for parental leave.
- **Growth & learning**: Annual learning budget; allowances for home office and wellness; structured internship, co-op, and Leadership Development Program (LDP) offering real responsibility, mentorship, and cross-functional rotations.
- **Wellness**: Employee assistance program, sick days, life and disability insurance.
- **Perks**: New national headquarters at EQ Bank Tower in downtown Toronto.

## Sources
1. [eqbank.ca - Company Overview](https://www.eqbank.ca/about-us/about/company-overview)
2. [eqbank.ca - Careers](https://www.eqbank.ca/about-us/about/careers)
3. [jobs.lever.co/eqbank - Job listings](https://jobs.lever.co/eqbank)
4. [linkedin.com/company/-eqbank - LinkedIn company page](https://linkedin.com/company/-eqbank)
5. [filecache.investorroom.com - EQB 2025 Annual Report](https://filecache.investorroom.com/mr5ircnw_eqbank2/1591/EQB-2025_Annual_Report_Final.pdf)

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