Canada Compliance Guide

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As a registered Payment Facilitator in Canada, Worldpay for Platforms must comply with the requirements of the Code of Conduct for the Credit and Debit Card Industry in Canada referred to as the Code. As a Partner to Worldpay for Platforms, you will be required to help us comply with some of the Code requirements because you are the Merchant-facing entity that directly communicates with the Merchant.

Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry in Canada requirements include:

  • Providing Monthly Merchant Statements: You will be required to provide a Code Compliant Monthly Merchant Statement that displays the rates and fees associated with each card brand and type accepted by the Merchant.

  • Fee Change/Introduction of New Fee Notice: Merchants have the right to cost certainty over the course of their agreement, and the ability to cancel their agreements related to the provision of card processing.

  • Complaints Handling Process: You must establish a complaints intake process, including the escalation process to Worldpay for Platforms for Code-related complaints.

Further guidance on how to meet these requirements is outlined below. If you have any issues or general compliance requirement questions, submit a Compliance ticket or call +1-855-672-9749.

Providing Monthly Merchant Statements

While Worldpay for Platforms offers you the opportunity to use its API whitelisted forms, if you provide your own merchant statements using your own resources, then you must also:

Data

Required

Description

Card Type

Required

MasterCard Credit and Debit, Visa Credit and Debit, and Discover Credit.

Note that American Express is not supported.

Number of Sales

Required

Total number of sale transactions for the Merchant

Gross Sales

Required

The gross sales amount in dollars for all Merchant transactions

Service Rate

Required

Either a flat rate charged or applicable interchange percentage rates for each card type

Rate Fee

Required

The Rate Fee is calculated by multiplying the Service Rate (percentage) by Gross Sales Amount (dollar amount).

Per Transaction Fee

Required

Per Transaction Fee is calculated by multiplying the flat-rate transaction fee ($X.XX) by Total Sales (dollar amount)

Total Fees

Optional

Total Fees are calculated by adding the Rate Fee and Transaction Fee ($X.XX)

Effective Merchant Discount Rate

Required

The Effective Merchant Discount Rate is calculated by dividing the Total Fees transaction fee ($X.XX) by Gross Sales (percentage)

We recommend that you provide this information in a CSV format so that your Merchants can easily view the information in Excel. Download the example below for a sample of what your Monthly Merchant Statement information should look like:

Example Monthly Merchant Statement
1.11 KB

Introduction of New Fee or Fee Change Notice

Merchants have the right to cost certainty over the course of their agreements related to the provision of Card processing.

Acquirers and Downstream Participants must ensure merchants can cancel their agreements related to the provision of Card processing, including Related Service Agreements, without any form of penalty, within 70 calendar days after the effective date of the following1:

  1. An increase of any existing Acquirer/Processor Fee or applicable2 domestic PCNO Core Fee passed on in part or in full to a merchant;

  2. The introduction of a new Acquirer/Processor Fee or applicable domestic PCNO Core Fee passed on in part or in full to a merchant; and/or

  3. A reduction in applicable domestic PCNO Core Fees that are not passed on in full to a merchant.


1 If merchants are not provided between 30 and 60 calendar days’ notice, they have the right to cancel their agreements without penalty at any time.

2 For greater clarity, “applicable” means only those domestic PCNO Core Fees that apply to an individual merchant and/or the transactions originated by that individual merchant. For example, if a PCNO Core Fee for a specific rate program is reduced, but the transactions originated by the merchant do not qualify for those program-specific rates, then those program-specific reductions do not apply to that merchant. Notification to the merchant is required for domestic PCNO Core Fee reductions that are applicable to that merchant but will not be passed on in full.


After a merchant provides notice of its intent to exit, the Acquirer or Downstream Participant will send the merchant any necessary documentation to process the cancellation within five (5) business days. The cancellation will become effective on the date requested by the merchant, provided that:

  1. The merchant has fulfilled any outstanding obligations for cancellation (e.g., rental equipment returned and necessary forms signed); and

  2. the requested date is at least 30 calendar days after the date the merchant submits any required cancellation documentation, unless an earlier date is agreed to by both parties;

The right to cancel agreements without penalty does not apply for Acquirer/Processor Fee or PCNO Core Fee increases made in accordance with pre-determined schedules, such as those based on merchant sales volume or the end of a promotional offer or period, provided that the schedules are included in the merchant’s agreement.

Where an Acquirer or Downstream Participant is providing services not related to the processing of Card payments, and where the provision and the amounts charged in respect of those unrelated services do not depend on the Acquirer or Downstream Participant providing Card payment processing services, this section does not apply to the provision of those unrelated services.

Notice to Merchants of Acquirer/Processor Fee and PCNO Core Fee Changes

Acquirers or Downstream Participants, as applicable, must notify their merchants between 30 and 60 calendar days prior to the effective date of:

  • Any new or increased Acquirer/Processor Fee passed on in part or in full to merchants:

    1. Any new or increased applicable domestic PCNO Core Fee passed on in part or in full to merchants; or

    2. Any reductions in applicable domestic PCNO Core Fees not passed on in full to merchants.

    3. For all types of Card processing plans, the notice to merchants must clearly state the previous and the new amount(s) of interchange rates, wholesale discount rates, network assessment fees, or any other rate and fee charged by the Acquirer or Downstream Participant;

    4. Whether the change is originating from the PCNO, Acquirer, or Downstream Participant;

    5. The amount of the change that will be passed on to the merchant; and,

    6. That the merchant has a right to provide notice of its intent to exit its agreement without penalty within 70 calendar days after the effective date of the upcoming change. The notice to the merchant must include the date on which the 70-calendar day period expires. If a merchant’s agreement has no fixed term or penalties for cancellation, the merchant must be provided instead with a reminder of its right to exit without penalty at any time.

    7. Notification is not required for Acquirer/Processor Fee or PCNO Core Fee changes made in accordance with pre-determined schedules, such as those based on merchant sales volume or the end of a promotional offer or period, provided that the schedules are included in the merchant’s agreement.

Complaints Handling Process & Requirements

As a Payrix Pro Partner servicing Merchants in Canada, you are the first point of contact for your Merchants should they have any issues or complaints regarding the billing integration services we provide. As such, you are required to establish a complaint intake and handling process.

  1. Set up your online complaint intake form.

  2. Establish your internal complaint-handling process.

  3. Understand how to identify a Code-related complaint.

  4. Learn how to submit any Code-related complaints to Worldpay for Platforms.

Set Up Your Online Complaint Intake Form

An online complaint intake form is required for your Merchants or sub-Merchants to submit potential Code-related complaints with the service or platform.

Create an online intake form for your Merchants to submit the information required to for your internal complaint-handling process.

At a minimum, the complaint intake form must include the following information:

  • Name of submitter

  • The business name

  • Contact information (phone number and email)

  • Box where the Merchant can enter a summary of the complaint and all helpful details

  • Place to attach copies of any supporting documentation (such as agreements, statements, and correspondences).

Establish an Internal Complaint Handling Process

An internal process must be established explaining how the initial complaint review will be handled (including timeframes) to determine if it is a general complaint or a Code-related complaint.

Establish a process explaining how Merchants will be sent an acknowledgment and escalation notice within 5 business days of receipt of the complaint and a process explaining the escalation of the complaint to Worldpay for Platforms if the complaint is determined to be Code-related.

Identify Code-Related Complaints

What is a Complaint?

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction with a product, service, policy, or an employee related to the platform (except those made by cardholders who are also employees of your company).

General customer service complaints are your responsibility, while Worldpay for Platforms is responsible for managing and resolving Code-related complaints.

What is a Code-Related Complaint?

You must be able to distinguish between customer communications that you should resolve and those that you should forward to Worldpay for Platforms for resolution.

  • Code-Related Complaints: Refer to issues or conduct identified with the platform that Merchant believes is contrary to the Code.

If you are unsure, please forward the customer inquiry to in a Partner Services ticket for Code of Conduct to determine whether the communication constitutes a complaint.

Submit Code-Related Complaints to Worldpay for Platforms

When a Code-related complaint is identified, it must be submittedin a Partner Services ticket for Code of Conduct to manage any potential Code violations. All required information must be provided so that Worldpay for Platforms can properly investigate the matter.

After submitting the Code-related complaint to Worldpay for Platforms, you must send an acknowledgment email within 5 business days to your Merchant or sub-merchant notifying them that their complaint has been received and escalated in a Partner Services ticket for Code of Conduct.

Example Complaint Acknowledgement Template for Canada

The sample below demonstrates a properly formatted Code of Conduct complaint acknowledgment email:

Hello {Merchant Contact Name},

We are contacting you to let you know that we have received your complaint made on {Date The Complaint Was Submitted} regarding our billing integration services. Upon our initial review of your issue/complaint, we have determined that it pertains to our billing integration partner Worldpay for Platforms and qualifies as a Code-related complaint as defined by the Code of Conduct for the Credit and Debit Card Industry in Canada.

We have escalated your complaint to Worldpay for Platforms for investigation and resolution. For additional information on Worldpay for Platforms’ Code complaints handling process or if you have questions regarding your complaint, please visit the Canada Compliance Guide.

Further communication regarding your complaint will come directly from Worldpay for Platforms.

Thank you for contacting us.

Worldpay for Platforms Complaint Handling for Merchants

As a Canadian Merchant, you must be provided with access to a clear dispute-resolution process for resolving complaints related to the Code of Conduct for the Credit and Debit Card Industry in Canada.

If you believe that Payrix has acted in a way that is contrary to the Code and would like to file a complaint directly with us regarding our billing integration services, please visit our online complaint intake portal and complete the form.

Information Required for Submission

Please include any information that can help us resolve your concerns to the best of our ability by including the following information:

  • A summary of your concerns.

  • All available details, such as the names of any individuals who are involved in or know about the issue.

  • The date of the incident or on which the matter began.

  • Copies of any supporting documentation.

    • Examples include agreements, statements, and correspondence.

Submission Response

Upon receipt of your complaint, Worldpay for Platforms will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 5 business days. Following the completion of our investigation, Worldpay for Platforms will provide you with our final decision in writing within 90 days of receiving your complaint, along with the following details:

  • A summary of the complaint.

  • The final result of the investigation.

  • Explanation of the final decision.

  • Information on how to further escalate your complaint in the event of an unsatisfactory outcome.

If we cannot provide a response to you within 90 days, you will be informed of the delay, the reason for the delay, and the expected response time.

If your complaint has not been resolved after following the above process, you have the right to refer your complaint to the following:

Worldpay (Processor)

Online:
https://www.worldpay.com/en-GB/legal/complaints

Peoples Trust Company (Acquirer)

Online: https://www.peoplestrust.com/en/about-us/resolving-your-concerns/

Visa Canada

Mastercard Canada

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)
6th Floor, Enterprise Building
427 Laurier Ave. West
Ottawa, ON K1R 1B9

Code-Related Complaints

The Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry now states that payment card network rules require Merchants to have access to a clear dispute resolution process.

This provides relevant information for an investigation and a timely response to Code-related complaints.

As a Payrix Pro Partner serving Canadian Merchants, you will be the first point of contact for your Merchants and sub-Merchants. Worldpay for Platforms will conduct an investigation, perform remediation if there is an error, and notify the Merchant or sub-Merchant of our investigation response within the required 90 days' time frame since receipt of a complaint. You can escalate Code-related complaints to Worldpay for Platforms through Payrix Pro Support.

The table below provides a quick summary of each Complaint Element Codes:

Element

Summary

Element 1*

Transparency and Disclosure Element

  • Complaints about Worldpay for Platforms sub-Merchant agreements not being clear or failure to disclose all fees in the summary and disclosure boxes

  • Complaints about issues showing all card fees on monthly billing statements

1.a.

Card Payment Processing Applications (Fee Disclosures)

To allow merchants to easily compare pricing across different providers, Worldpay for Platforms’s card processing applications/quotes/proposals must include the “Cost per Transaction Disclosure” (formerly Fee Disclosure Box) and “Disclosure of Fees” (formerly Other Fees Disclosure).

The data and rationale used to populate the “Cost Per Transaction Disclosure”, such as Card mix and volumes, must be provided to merchants to ensure that merchants can obtain more easily comparable quotes. Any promotional offers and/or bundled services included in the Card processing application/quote/proposal must be disclosed, including the length of the promotional period (where applicable).

1.b.

Merchant Agreements

All Merchant Agreements must include a cover page, or if sent electronically, a separate document(s), that includes the following:

  • Summary of the Key Elements of the Agreement (previously known as Information Summary Box)

  • Cost Per Transaction Disclosure (previously known as Fee Disclosure Box); and

  • Disclosure of Fees (previously known as Other Fees Disclosure)

Note

If the Cost per Transaction Disclosure provided as part of the merchant agreement differs from the Cost per Transaction Disclosure provided at the time of application/quote/proposal, Worldpay must highlight and explain the changes.

Additionally, Merchants may now provide express consent to not receive the above disclosures if the agreement has been negotiated between the parties with both having the benefit of legal counsel. Only the merchant with whom Worldpay has the agreement may provide express consent to not receive these disclosures. However, these disclosures, or updates

1.c.

Merchant Statements

Merchants must receive and/or have access to the following information, as applicable, no less frequently than monthly:

  • The effective merchant discount rate1 will now only need to be shown for the aggregate of each PCNO card type (debit, credit and prepaid) the merchant accepted during the period;

  • The rate and total amount charged for interchange, wholesale discount rates, network assessment fees, and all other rates and fees charged by Worldpay in that period; and

  • The number and volume of transactions for each type of payment transaction.

For blended/flat rate pricing models, in lieu of the above information, merchants must receive and/or have access to the following information, as applicable, no less frequently than monthly:

  • The per transaction rate, inclusive of any percentage discount rates and any per transaction supplemental charge; and

  • The rate and total amount charged for interchange, wholesale discount rates, network assessment fees, and all other rates and fees charged by Worldpay in that period not included in the per transaction rate described above.

Element 3

ABILITY TO CANCEL AGREEMENTS WITHOUT PENALTY

Merchants must be able to cancel their agreements related to the provision of Card processing, including Related Service Agreements, without any form of penalty, within 70 calendar days after the effective date of the following:

  • An increase of any existing Acquirer/Processor Fee or applicable** domestic PCNO Core Fee passed on in part or in full to a merchant;

  • The introduction of a new Acquirer/Processor Fee or applicable** domestic PCNO Core Fee passed on in part or in full to a merchant; and/or

  • A reduction in applicable** domestic PCNO Core Fees that are not passed on in full to a merchant.

a. If a merchant provides notice of its intent to exit, they will be provided with any necessary documentation to process the cancellation within five (5) business days.

b. The cancellation will become effective on the date requested by the merchant as long as the merchant has fulfilled any outstanding obligations for cancellation and the requested date is at least 30 calendar days after the date the merchant submits any required cancellation documentation, unless an earlier date is agreed to by both parties.

Element 4

NOTICE TO MERCHANTS OF ACQUIRER/PROCESSOR FEE AND PCNO FEE CHANGES

Merchants must be provided with between 30 and 60 calendar days prior to the effective date of:

  • Any new or increased Acquirer/Processor Fee passed on in part or in full to merchants.

  • Any new or increased applicable** domestic PCNO Core Fee passed on in part or in full to merchants; or

  • Any reductions in applicable** domestic PCNO Core Fees not passed on in full to merchants.

The notice provided to merchants must clearly state:

  1. The previous and the new amount(s) of interchange rates, wholesale discount rates, network assessment fees, or any other rate and fee charged

  2. Whether the change originates from the PCNO, Acquirer, or Downstream Participant

  3. The amount of the change that will be passed on to the merchant; and,

  4. That the merchant has a right to provide notice of its intent to exit its agreement without penalty within 70 calendar days after the effective date of the upcoming change. The notice to the merchant must include the date on which the 70-calendar day period expires. If a merchant’s agreement has no fixed term or penalties for cancellation, the merchant must be provided instead with a reminder of its right to exit without penalty at any time.

Element 5

LIMITED ACCEPTANCE – MERCHANT CHOICE

Merchants may accept either domestically issued credit or domestically issued debit Card payments from a PCNO without being obligated to accept both.

Element 6

NEGATIVE OPTION ACCEPTANCE NOT ALLOWED

Negative option acceptance is not allowed.

As a business practice in Canada, Worldpay for Platforms does not allow negative option acceptance. Should a new product or service be offered, it is marketed to existing merchants who can choose to sign up for the new offering by signing an amended agreement.

Element 7

RENEWAL OF MERCHANT AGREEMENTS AND RELATED SERVICE AGREEMENTS

Merchant may provide notice of non-renewal at any point during their agreement period, including for any Related Service Agreement, up to 45 calendar days prior to agreement renewal or prior to the end of each renewal term.

Merchants under fixed-term agreements, including Related Service Agreements, will not automatically be renewed for the full initial term but may convert to automatically renewable agreement extensions of six months or less.

Element 8

DISCOUNTS FOR DIFFERENT PAYMENT METHODS

Merchants may provide discounts for different payment methods and differential discounts among different Card networks.

Elements 9-12

Do not apply to Worldpay for Platforms.

Element 13

Complaint Handling Process

PCNOs, Acquirers, and Downstream Participants must ensure that:

  • Merchants have access to a clear, simple, and transparent complaint handling process, provided by their Acquirer and/or Downstream Participant, that investigates merchant complaints of Code noncompliance in a timely manner. Acquirers may delegate responsibility for this complaint handling to their Downstream Participant, provided that the complaints are included in the Acquirer’s reporting to PCNOs;

  • Merchants are provided information about how and where to make a complaint;

  • Adequate Code training is in place for all applicable employees;

  • A summary of the complaint handling process is posted prominently on the Acquirer and/or Downstream Participant’s website;

  • The process of making and investigating a complaint is easy for complainants to access and understand;

  • Accountability for complaint handling within the PCNO, Acquirer, and Downstream Participant is clearly established, and complaints and responses are monitored and reported to management; and,

  • Complaints are acknowledged within a maximum of five (5) business days; investigated and addressed within a maximum of 20 business days (30 business days for PCNOs) according to order of urgency; and the complainant is kept notified and informed throughout the process. If a response cannot be provided within 20 business days (or 30 business days for PCNOS), the merchant must be informed of the reason for the delay and the expected response time.

* Required. Worldpay for Platforms will work with you to resolve this type of complaint.

** “Applicable” means only those domestic PCNO Core Fees that apply to an individual merchant and/or the transactions originated by that individual merchant. For example, if a PCNO Core Fee for a specific rate program is reduced, but the transactions originated by the merchant do not qualify for those program-specific rates, then those program-specific reductions do not apply to that merchant. Notification to the merchant is required for domestic PCNO Core Fee reductions that are applicable to that merchant but will not be passed on in full.