Rogers to Introduce 1.6% Credit Card Processing Fee for Bill Payments in 2027
Rogers Communications will begin charging most Canadian customers a 1.6 per cent processing fee for credit card bill payments starting January 17, 2027, citing a nearly 40 per cent increase in payment processing costs since 2020.
Rogers Communications announced it will implement a 1.6 per cent processing fee for bill payments made using a credit card, effective January 17, 2027. The new charge will apply to most customers across Canada but will not be enforced in Quebec.
The company stated that the measure is necessary to recover rising payment processing costs, which have increased by nearly 40 per cent since 2020. Rogers currently pays approximately $150 million annually in credit card processing fees. Customers who pay their bills using the Rogers Bank Mastercard will also be subject to the same 1.6 per cent fee. However, customers can avoid the additional charge by making bill payments with a debit card or through direct debit from their bank accounts.
The decision follows recent financial results and regulatory developments affecting the telecommunications provider. Rogers reported overall quarterly revenue of $5.44 billion, up from $5.35 billion in the same quarter last year. Despite the revenue growth, average monthly revenue per mobile user declined to $55.22 from $56.70 a year ago.
Chief Financial Officer Glenn Brandt attributed the decline in mobile revenue largely to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission's (CRTC) ban on fees for cancelling or changing plans.
Regarding the introduction of credit card processing fees, the CRTC has noted that telecommunications companies generally do not need approval to charge such fees for unregulated services, including mobile and internet services. In 2022, however, the regulator refused a request from Telus to charge similar fees for home phone services.