Credit card processing and merchant services in Fort McMurray, AB

Fort McMurray isn't a municipality of its own. The Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo's bylaws define its Urban Service Area as the Fort McMurray Urban Service Area, and its Rural Service Area as the rest of the region. Statistics Canada lists Wood Buffalo as a specialized municipality, the same status as Strathcona County, and the RMWB sets the local rules for businesses in town and across the rural area, licences included.

At the 2021 Census, the Wood Buffalo specialized municipality counted 72,326 people, up 1.0% from 2016, while Alberta as a whole grew 4.8%. They're spread across 60,843.88 square kilometres, about 1.2 people per square kilometre.

The licence rule is short and wide. The RMWB says all businesses operating in the municipality need a business licence, and it spells out that online-only businesses count: if you generate income within the region, you need one. Licences are renewed every year. A community peace officer visits businesses that aren't compliant, and the RMWB says they may be shut down until they hold a valid licence, so renew before the deadline rather than after a visit.

With that much ground to cover, some customers will be a long way off when it's time to pay. A virtual terminal sends invoices and payment links, so a client can pay online without reading a card number over the phone. In person, tap to pay or a mobile card reader takes the payment where the work is done.

Tax is simple. Alberta has no PST, so taxable sales carry only the 5% GST, and hotels and other accommodation providers add the provincial tourism levy, 6% on bookings made after March 31, 2026.

The national surcharge rules apply here, and our Alberta page lists them with sources. We price on interchange-plus with no cancellation fees, and a free statement review will show where your card fees go.