Government Relations & External Affairs Intern

interac; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 29,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work model

Downtown Toronto office near Union Stn

Intern bootcamp

Job summary

Interac in Toronto is offering a government relations internship focused on policy and external affairs. You will monitor federal and provincial activity, draft briefing materials, and support engagements with senior stakeholders.

The role emphasizes research, writing, and collaboration across teams. Enrolled in a Canadian university with interest in payments/fintech, you will develop practical recommendations and gain hands-on experience in a fast‑paced regulatory environment.

Qualifications

• Excellent research, analytical and writing skills, including concise synthesis of complex information.
• Strong judgment, attention to detail and commitment to verifying facts, names, titles, dates and sources.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments and meet deadlines with clear communication.
• Professionalism and discretion when handling sensitive information and senior stakeholders.
• Familiarity with government sources, policy research and project-management tools is a plus.
• French-language skills are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Monitor federal and provincial government activity, including announcements, legislation, committees, consultations and regulatory developments related to Interac.
• Track payments, fintech, banking and digital-economy developments and summarize implications for the business and stakeholders.
• Draft briefing notes, stakeholder profiles, meeting notes, executive updates, presentations and external-affairs materials.
• Maintain the GR & External Affairs tracker, stakeholder map and engagement records with accuracy.
• Support government meetings, roundtables, conferences and executive engagements with research and logistics.
• Research priority policy files, synthesize information, and help develop evidence-based positions.
• Coordinate inputs with internal teams and external partners to keep deliverables moving.
• Complete a term project and present practical recommendations to the team.

Skills

Research skills

Analytical skills

Writing skills

Attention to detail

Stakeholder communication

Multi-tasking

Professionalism

Questioning and curiosity

Education

University student in political science / public policy

Tools

Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Outlook

Teams

Job description

Who We Are:

Every transaction matters. Every Canadian matters. At Interac, we protect both - driving trust, security, and inclusion, so our digital economy thrives.

Founded in 1984, Interac connects Canadians through secure digital payments, advanced identity verification and industry‑leading fraud protection. Connecting banks, businesses, and individuals, Interac enables millions to send, receive, and manage money safely and effortlessly every day - across both digital and physical environments.

As the backbone of Canada's financial ecosystem, Interac facilitates over 20 million transactions daily, supported by trusted partnerships with government and financial institutions. Consistently ranked as Canada's most reputable financial technology brand, Interac is deeply embedded in the daily lives of Canadians.

Who You Will Work With:

Reporting to the Specialist, Government Relations & External Affairs, you will join a small, collaborative team that helps Interac understand and respond to the public-policy, political and external environment in which it operates. You will work across government relations, policy and external affairs, with exposure to senior leaders and cross‑functional partners.

This internship is designed for someone who follows Canadian government and current affairs, is curious about payments and fintech, and wants hands‑on experience turning research into useful advice, briefing materials and stakeholder engagement. You will contribute to real files and recurring deliverables while receiving regular coaching and feedback.

What You Will Do:

• Monitor federal and provincial government activity, including announcements, legislation, parliamentary committees, consultations, regulatory developments and political changes relevant to Interac.
• Track payments, fintech, banking and digital‑economy developments and summarize what they mean for the business and its stakeholders.
• Draft briefing notes, stakeholder profiles, meeting notes, executive updates, presentations, correspondence and other external‑affairs materials.
• Maintain the GR & External Affairs tracker, stakeholder map and engagement records with a high standard of accuracy and organization.
• Support government meetings, roundtables, conferences and executive engagements, including research, invite lists, logistics, briefing packages and follow‑up actions.
• Research priority policy files and consultations, synthesize information from multiple sources and help develop evidence‑based positions and recommendations.
• Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to confirm inputs, manage details and keep deliverables moving.
• Complete a term project on an emerging policy issue and present practical recommendations to the team.

What You Bring:

Enrolled in a Canadian university in a relevant discipline such as political science, public policy, public administration, economics, international relations, law, business, communications or public relations.

Strong knowledge of Canadian political and government institutions and demonstrated interest in current affairs, public policy, legislative and regulatory developments.

Excellent research, analytical and writing skills, including concise synthesis of complex information.

Strong judgment, attention to detail and commitment to verifying facts, names, titles, dates and sources.

Ability to manage multiple assignments, meet deadlines and communicate early when direction or timelines need clarification.

Professionalism and discretion with sensitive information and senior stakeholders.

Proficiency in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Teams.

A proactive, curious and collaborative style, with confidence to ask thoughtful questions and own deliverables.

Although not required, you have some familiarity or previous experience with the following:

• Experience using government and parliamentary sources, regulatory publications, media‑monitoring tools, research databases or project‑management platforms.
• French-language skills.
• Familiarity with Canada's payments ecosystem, financial‑sector policy, consumer‑driven banking, digital identity, fraud prevention, competition, affordability or digital sovereignty.
• Experience preparing briefing notes, stakeholder maps, policy summaries, presentations, executive communications, research databases or project‑management platforms.
• Strong writing skills with the ability to craft compelling content for digital channels (e.g. website, newsroom, intranet, social media, email).

What We're Offering:

The hourly pay rate for this position is $25, and the internship term runs from January to April 2027. An internship opportunity at Interac also features:

• Flexible hybrid work model with monthly intern socials for better work‑life balance
• Convenient downtown Toronto office located minutes away from Union Station
• Interac learning bootcamp designed to help you hit the ground running

Why Join Us?

At Interac, the impact we make, and the people who drive it, is profound. W