Credit card processing and merchant services in Brampton, ON
The federal government announced lower credit card fees for small businesses in Brampton in May 2023, and the cut took effect in October 2024. Here is how to tell whether your statement shows it.
When the Department of Finance announced lower credit card transaction fees for small businesses on May 18, 2023, the release was datelined Brampton. The cuts took effect on October 19, 2024. For qualifying businesses, Visa and Mastercard agreed to bring interchange on domestic consumer credit cards used in store down to an annual weighted average of 0.95%, and to cut online interchange by 10 basis points. Visa's lower rates apply if your annual Visa sales are below $300,000, and Mastercard's if your annual Mastercard sales are below $175,000. Visa lifts its line to $750,000 on October 24, 2026.
There's a catch, and it sits in how you're priced. The cut applies to interchange, the part of each fee that goes to the card issuer. On a flat-rate plan you pay the same percentage whatever interchange does, so a lower interchange rate can disappear into your provider's margin. On interchange-plus pricing, interchange passes through at cost, so a cut shows up as a smaller bill.
The cut touches surcharging too. Brampton businesses can surcharge Visa and Mastercard credit cards, but never above their own cost of acceptance, even when that cost is under the 2.4% cap. If your costs fell in October 2024, the most you're allowed to surcharge may have fallen with them.
Brampton grew 10.6% between the 2016 and 2021 censuses, to 656,480 residents. If you're one of the small businesses serving that growth, send us a recent statement for a free statement review and we'll check whether the small business rates are reaching you. The province-wide rules are on our Ontario page.
Rules that matter in Brampton
The small business interchange cut announced in Brampton
For qualifying small businesses, Visa and Mastercard interchange has been lower since October 19, 2024, with domestic consumer credit cards in store at an annual weighted average of 0.95% and online interchange 10 basis points lower. The thresholds are under $300,000 in annual Visa sales for Visa's rates (rising to $750,000 on October 24, 2026) and under $175,000 in annual Mastercard sales for Mastercard's. Non-profits below those thresholds qualify too.
Sources: Department of Finance Canada, Government reduces credit card fees by 27 per cent for small business owners; Visa Canada, Upcoming interchange modifications (September 4, 2026)
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Common questions
Does my Brampton business qualify for the lower small business card rates?
You qualify for Visa's lower interchange if your annual Visa sales are below $300,000 ($750,000 from October 24, 2026), and for Mastercard's if your annual Mastercard sales are below $175,000. Each network is assessed separately, so you might qualify for one and not the other. Non-profits under those thresholds qualify too. The rates have applied since October 19, 2024.
Why didn't my processing bill drop after October 2024?
Usually because you're on flat-rate or tiered pricing. The federal measure cut interchange, not your provider's markup, so unless interchange is passed through to you at cost, your rate can stay exactly where it was. A free statement review will show which pricing model you're on and what the cut should be worth to you.
Can I surcharge credit cards in Brampton?
Yes. Ontario has no surcharge ban, so Visa and Mastercard's rules apply: credit cards only, no more than 2.4% or your cost of acceptance, 30 days' notice, and the fee disclosed at the entrance, at the point of sale and on the receipt. Our surcharging program covers the setup and the disclosures.
Is the HST in Brampton different from Toronto?
No. HST is set by province, and Ontario's rate is 13% whether you sell in Brampton, Toronto or Ottawa. The same point-of-sale rebates apply too, including the one on qualifying prepared food and drinks totalling $4 or less before tax.
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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