Andrew Graham

CEO/Co-Founder of @Borrowell | Focused on changing financial services for the better | Dad x 3 | Husband | If you're building something and I can help, DM me 🍁

[Build Canada @build_canada]

In this moment of economic transformation, driven by shifting trade relationships and the rise of new technologies such as AI, the federal government and the private sector need to work together.

The government should seek out expertise from Canada’s companies, and companies need to provide support, including seconding employees for short-term government placements.

Canada has a history of just this kind of collaboration.

During the Second World War, C.D. Howe helped organize over a hundred of Canada's top industrial leaders to work for the government to organize and bolster the war efforts, producing everything from ammunition to airplanes, and not only helping to secure Canada's victory in the war but transforming the country into a modern industrial nation. These leaders were called the "Dollar-a-Year Men" because they devoted their time and energy to serving the country for a nominal salary of a dollar a year plus expenses, though many declined even to charge for their expenses.

After the war, senior professionals from the private sector continued to support the growing Canadian public sector. In 1971, the government developed the Interchange Canada program to allow top members of industry to work with government agencies for a short period to provide their know-how and management expertise to help keep costs low and ensure effective services.

Today, Canada faces serious challenges in AI adoption, defense capabilities, enterprise software, strategic procurement, and more—areas where there are skilled experts in private sector companies. We need their technical knowledge now. By having private sector experts help the government directly it will empower our public sector leaders to develop policies that are more relevant in our fast-changing world helping our economy grow faster, our public service use cutting-edge tools, and our military have the best equipment.

Like the Dollar-a-Year Men who served during wartime, Canada needs today's leaders to step up and contribute directly. Governments should welcome additional expertise from the private sector and set up systems to use it effectively. And, companies should loan some of their best technical talent to the government while covering their salaries.

By enhancing the existing Interchange Canada program and creating fast-track approval processes to remove bureaucratic barriers that typically slow private sector integration we can embed private sector experts in key public sector roles and leverage their skills to unlock new levels of productivity and growth.

You can read the full memo at the link below:

[Evan McCann @evansammccann]

My conversation with @andrewtgraham, the Co-Founder and CEO of ⁠@Borrowell!

Trusted by 1 in 10 Canadians, Borrowell provides over 3 million members with comprehensive credit monitoring and personalized insights.

Their innovative services, including Credit Builder and rent reporting, help consumers build credit so they can unlock access to a wider range of financial products at more competitive rates.

We discussed...

- Understanding Credit Scores
- Innovating Credit Access
- Building Financial Products
- Expanding Credit Opportunities
- The Importance of Open Banking
- Challenges for FinTech in Canada
- Partnership Strategies
- The Evolution of FinTech in Canada
- Scaling Borrowell to Millions
- Personalization in Financial Services
- Lessons from a Decade of Leadership
- Balancing Fun and Seriousness in FinTech
- User Engagement Strategies

In your podcast player now!

[Borrowell @Borrowell]

Excited to see our team's work being recognized by the @CADInnovators! We're grateful to work with partners like @neofinancial to give Canadians more choices when they're looking for financial products.

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

Strong work by the @canada_spends team. For anyone interested in how the federal government spends money, this is a terrific way to visualize and explore it.

[Canada Spends @canada_spends]

🔥🔥🔥BREAKING🔥🔥🔥

The new Canada Spends platform is live!

We’ve redesigned the site from the ground up - with powerful, interactive visuals and clearer breakdowns of how your tax dollars are spent, department by department.

Transparency has never looked this good 🚀🤩🚀

Check it out! 🔗 in 🧵

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

Great ideas for our political leaders to commit to as we head into an election.

[Fintechs Canada @FintechsCanada]

An election was called yesterday—but action taken by a new government matters most.

Canadians deserve lower fees, better lending options, and real financial choice. In its first 100 days, a new government can take bold action to make this a reality.

Here's how 👇

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

@scheschuk @build_canada @Borrowell Thanks for your leadership over many years, @scheschuk fighting for competition and lower prices in telecoms. Better is possible!

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

👍👍

[Prime Minister of Canada @CanadianPM]

Prime Minister Mark Carney announces the cancellation of the proposed capital gains tax increase. This will catalyze investment and incentivize builders, innovators, and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in Canada, creating more jobs. https://t.co/1zrf0DyK4A

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

It's time to give Canadians control of their data.

This will increase competition and lower pricing across a host of industries. Let's start with financial services, where progress has begun on open banking, but work remains. Let's get it done!

See my new @build_canada memo 👇

[Build Canada @build_canada]

Everyday we generate data that shapes the services we receive. But whether it's banking history, medical records or electricity usage, we have very little control over how it's used or shared.

This is particularly evident with financial services. You may have accounts at three different institutions but no easy way to view your complete financial picture. You may want to switch from one bank to another but there are huge costs and long delays.

With open banking, we can change this to give consumers true control over their data.

You would be able to switch bank providers in under 15 minutes without missing a single bill payment or having to update your direct deposit information with your employer. A restaurant owner could connect their point-of-sale system to their accounting software in a few clicks, automatically reconciling daily sales and saving hours of bookkeeping each week.

While we wait around on this issue, other countries have taken action. The UK required its nine largest banks to develop standardized ways for consumers to share their data, sparking a wave of innovation in financial services.

Dozens of other countries including South Korea, Japan and Brazil have followed suit. Even Ukraine, despite an invasion to their country three years ago, is moving forward with open banking. Meanwhile, Canada has been working on this issue for seven years, with still no clear go-live date.

Canada needs to expedite the implementation of open banking immediately, with a go-live of the first phase in 2026.

By implementing open banking swiftly and in the right way, we can start to make progress towards broader data portability across healthcare, telecommunications and more. This will allow Canadians to easily switch providers, compare services, and access innovative new products. For example, a consumer could instantly share their entire mobile service history when shopping for a better plan, pressuring providers to offer better deals.

What we need is a framework for data portability that establishes data portability as a fundamental consumer right.

By empowering Canadians to access, control, and share their data, we will stimulate competition, reduce costs, and unlock innovation across our economy. The time for studies and consultation is over – we must act now to give Canadians control of their data.

Read the full memo below:

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

More than ever, it’s urgent that we build a stronger and more prosperous country.

I’m pleased to be part of Build Canada, a group of entrepreneurs offering ideas on how we can move Canada forward.

Let’s go! 🚀

[Build Canada @build_canada]

Introducing Build Canada 🏗️🇨🇦

Ideas for a bolder, richer, freer country – backed by Canadian entrepreneurs

[Richard Dias @RichardDias_CFA]

This is truly remarkable - Canada's Lost Decade.

[Dan Kelly @CFIB]

Only in Canada would a tax change go into effect when:
1. Legislation was never passed.
2. Legislation was never even introduced in Parliament despite a 9 month window.
3. The Minister who proposed the hike has quit government and then comes out in opposition to the change.
4. There is a strong chance all leadership candidates to become the next PM will oppose the change.
5. The leading opposition party, ahead by a mile in every poll, also opposes the change and commits to reversing it if elected later this year.

It is well past time for the CRA to drop its ridiculous decision to implement (retroactively) the capital gains inclusion rate hike.

[Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 @KarluskaP]

The water scooper planes has this guy screaming! #AmericanBadAss

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

Going forward with the cap gains increase despite that it will likely never become law is a mistake. It'll only cause frustration and confusion. CRA should reverse course.

[Financial Post @financialpost]

Trudeau resignation puts capital gains tax hike 'on life support', but CRA still messing up https://t.co/Ic5dd7VRzr..

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

@shaneparrish @harleyf Happy to help

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

Canada needs an election, now. That's not a partisan comment--we need a government that's energized and organized with a clear mandate to confront the urgent challenges we face.

[Chrystia Freeland @cafreeland]

See my letter to the Prime Minister below // Veuillez trouver ma lettre au Premier ministre ci-dessous

[Borrowell @Borrowell]

Check this out! @FintechCanada covered how we're helping Canadian renters build credit by reporting up to 24 months of past rent payments. 🇨🇦💳 Ready to take control of your future?

Learn more: https://t.co/aEmPxGKJyc

#credithistory #rentreporting #canada #personalfinance

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

Thrilled to share this, another first from the @borrowell team. Now Canadians can build credit history using up to 24 months of past rental payments. There are many challenges facing renters--getting credit for paying rent on time shouldn't be one of them!

[Borrowell @Borrowell]

Great news, renters! We now let you report up to 2 years of past rent payments to build your credit! 🎉 📈

Turn your past rent payments into a tool for a better financial future. This game-changing service helps you achieve your goals.

Learn more: https://t.co/p0Fs7ImYar

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

@roccorossiTO Congratulations!

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

IMO @Communitech, @MaRSDD etc should bow out of all policy commentary. They are heavily funded by govt, and should focus on delivering services.

Far better than statements commenting on budget but silent on the issues that matter most to entrepreneurs.

[Sean Silcoff @SeanSilcoff]

Communitech, MaRS, won’t join other innovation groups in pushing Ottawa to stop capital-gains hike https://t.co/xox9vaVVLG

[Andrew Graham @andrewtgraham]

@graemehein @acoyne It’s a strange aspect of this debate that pro cap gains arguments typically lean on theory while ignoring the actuality of living beside the US.