Code of Conduct

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)

The FCAC is an independent government agency that monitors the commitments made by payment card networks such as Visa, to comply with the Code of Conduct. While the FCAC monitors compliance, it does not, resolve individual complaints.

The FCAC has information available to help merchants, issuers and consumers understand their rights and obligations under the Code of Conduct. Please visit the FCAC to learn more and contact the FCAC directly for more information on the Code of Conduct.

 

Visa's Process for Resolving Merchant Complaints Relating to the Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry in Canada

Visa has an established process for managing potential Code of Conduct compliance violations. If you have a complaint relating to the Code of Conduct, please follow the process below:

1. If you are a Visa merchant, first contact the Visa Acquirer/Payment Processor that processes your Visa payments. These entities must be contacted initially and are generally best equipped to resolve a complaint.
2. If you have completed Step 1 and would still like to submit your complaint to Visa, please complete and submit the Complaint Form below.
3. Please refer to the Code of Conduct when providing details of your complaint and ensure your complaint is related to the Code of Conduct.
   
4. Complete all required fields and click the submit button at the bottom of the form to have your submission routed for review and response.
   

Complaint Form

Alternatively, you may complete this form and submit it to the email address shown below.

Please ensure that all requested information is provided. This form will be routed to Visa Canada, who will investigate the complaint and attempt to resolve it. Please note that any information submitted as part of the complaint may be shared with the appropriate Acquirer, Payment Processor or Financial Institution to assist in addressing the complaint.

You may also request a hard copy of the form by contacting us.

Contact Details for Visa Canada

Ask Visa Canada – Code of Conduct Inquiries

Email: [email protected]

Web: www.visa.ca

After receiving your complaint, Visa will acknowledge receipt within a maximum of five (5) business days, keep you informed throughout the process, and provide a response within thirty (30) business days. If a response cannot be provided within thirty (30) business days, Visa will inform you of the reason for the delay and expected response time. As part of the Visa response to the complaint, merchants will receive:

• a summary of the complaint;
  
• the final result of the investigation;
• the final decision, including explanation; and
• information on how to escalate your complaint (as appropriate) in the event of an unsatisfactory outcome.

Nothing in the above process restricts merchants from filing complaints directly with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) at any stage of the complaint process. You may contact the FCAC directly using the contact details below.

FCAC Contact Details

Submit a Code Complaint or Question

Email: [email protected]

Phone
English: 1-866-461-FCAC (3222)
French: 1-866-461-ACFC (2232)
Outside Canada: 613-960-4666

Mailing Address
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
427 Laurier Avenue West, 5th Floor
Ottawa, ON K1R 1B9

If your situation is not related to the Code, please visit our Contact Us page for further assistance.