Rogers to Introduce 1.6% Credit Card Processing Fee Starting January 17
Rogers Communications will implement a 1.6 per cent processing fee for customers paying bills via credit card beginning January 17, citing nearly $150 million in rising costs since 2020. The charge applies to auto-pay and one-time payments but excludes Quebec residents, certain specialized plans, and former Shaw Mobile customers.
Rogers Communications announced it will introduce a 1.6 per cent processing charge for bill payments made with a credit card, scheduled to take effect on January 17. The new fee applies to both auto-pay and one-time credit card payments.
Customers in Quebec, those on certain specialized plans, and former Shaw Mobile customers are exempt from the charge. Payment methods not subject to the new fee include direct debit, online banking, cheques, gift cards, prepaid cards, Debit Mastercard, and Visa Debit.
Rogers reports that its credit card processing costs have increased by nearly 40 per cent since 2020, amounting to about $150 million in fees. The company aims to offset these rising costs through the new surcharge.
Retail analyst Bruce Winder expects consumers will accept the charge grudgingly rather than switch providers.
Competitor Telus previously attempted a similar measure. In 2022, Telus requested permission from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for a 1.5 per cent surcharge on landline credit card payments, which was rejected. That same year, Telus implemented a 1.5 per cent credit card fee for mobile and home internet customers but scrapped it in 2023. Bell spokespersons stated that the company does not currently charge clients a fee for credit card payments.
As of October 2026, Rogers' Toronto-listed shares are down more than 10 per cent year-to-date.