Credit card processing and merchant services in Kelowna, BC
The Kelowna census metropolitan area grew 14.0% from 2016 to 2021, faster than any other CMA in Canada. If you're opening a business here, set up PST, GST and card pricing right the first time.
No census metropolitan area in Canada grew faster from 2016 to 2021 than Kelowna's. Statistics Canada counted 222,162 people there in 2021, up 14.0%, and the City of Kelowna itself reached 144,576, up 13.5%. If you're starting a business into that growth, a few early setup decisions are easy to get wrong.
Registration comes first. B.C. runs its own PST, so you register with the province and file PST returns there, apart from your GST account with the CRA. The two thresholds don't match. You're a small seller, with no need to register for PST, if your gross revenue from taxable sales was $10,000 or less over the past 12 months and you expect the same for the next 12. For GST, the small supplier line is $30,000 in taxable revenue over four consecutive calendar quarters. A new business can be over one and under the other.
Tax codes come next. Most taxable sales carry 12%, the 5% GST plus 7% PST, but restaurant meals are exempt from PST and liquor is taxed at 10%. Short-term accommodation pays 8% PST, plus up to 3% MRDT in participating areas, so ask the province whether your property is in one. Give food, liquor and rooms their own codes from day one.
Card pricing is the decision you can most easily revisit, as long as your contract allows it. Ours doesn't lock you in: interchange-plus pricing, no long-term contract and no cancellation fee. Our POS terminals take Interac, Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay, and B.C. allows a credit card surcharge within the 2.4% cap if you'd rather pass on part of the cost.
Once you have a month or two of sales, send us a statement for a free statement review. The British Columbia page has the full provincial rules.
Payment services we provide
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Common questions
Do I have to register for PST before opening in Kelowna?
Not if you're a small seller: $10,000 or less in gross revenue from taxable sales of goods, software and services over the past 12 months, and an expected $10,000 or less over the next 12. Above that, register with the province before you collect PST. GST is separate, with its own $30,000 small supplier threshold.
What PST goes on a Kelowna restaurant bill?
It depends on the item. B.C.'s small business guide exempts food for human consumption, restaurant meals included, from PST. Soda is taxable at the general 7% rate and liquor at 10%, and the 5% GST applies to taxable items as well. Set separate tax codes for food, soft drinks and alcohol. Our restaurant page covers the payment side.
What if my first payment setup in Kelowna turns out to be expensive?
Check your agreement for a term and a cancellation fee. Under the Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry in Canada, if your processor adds or raises a fee, you can exit without penalty by giving notice within 70 calendar days after the change takes effect. We don't use long-term contracts or cancellation fees, so you can leave us whenever you like.
Can a Kelowna business surcharge credit cards?
Yes, within Visa and Mastercard's rules: credit cards only, up to 2.4% or your cost of acceptance, whichever is lower, with 30 days' notice and disclosure at the entrance, the till and on the receipt. On an $85 sale, 2.4% is $2.04. Our surcharging program covers the setup and signage.
Disclaimer: general information, not professional advice
This page is general educational information, not legal, tax, accounting or financial advice. Rules and rates vary by place and change, so confirm them with the official source and a qualified professional before you act. Full terms are in our Terms of Service.
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