Credit card chargebacks in Canada: how to dispute a charge and get your money back
The order that never arrived. The free trial that billed you anyway. The refund the store promised and never sent. A chargeback is how you go around a merchant who will not fix it. The process runs through your card issuer, deadlines are tight, and one province spells out the rules in law. Here is how to do it well, with a calculator for the Quebec timeline.
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Chargeback deadline calculator (Quebec online purchases)
Refund due, chargeback window, issuer deadlines
Based on Quebec's Consumer Protection Act for distance contracts paid by credit card: the merchant must refund within 15 days of cancellation (s. 54.13); if it does not, you may request a chargeback within 60 days following that default (s. 54.14); the issuer must acknowledge within 30 days and make the chargeback within 90 days or two complete statement periods, whichever comes first (s. 54.16). We count the 60 days from the day after the refund was due, so the last day shown is 75 days after cancellation. Two statement periods may end sooner than day 90. Outside Quebec, your cardholder agreement and issuer set the deadline; ask them.
What a chargeback is
FCAC describes a chargeback as the reversal of a disputed transaction, requested through the card issuer. The card networks each have their own chargeback guidelines, and provincial laws can also apply. FCAC itself does not resolve individual disputes or provide compensation, so your path runs through the merchant, then your issuer, then your issuer's complaint process.
Chargebacks are a credit card tool in most consumer laws. For a debit or pre-authorized payment taken from your bank account, the rules differ: see how to cancel a PAD and get money back, which carries a 90-day window.
When people ask for a chargeback
- Goods or services were never delivered, or delivered very late.
- You cancelled as the law or contract allows and the merchant did not refund.
- You were charged the wrong amount, or charged twice.
- A subscription kept billing after you cancelled. Our guide to cancelling forgotten subscriptions shows how to find them.
A charge you never made at all is fraud, which is handled as an unauthorized transaction rather than a merchant dispute. Report it right away; see what to do about an unauthorized transaction.
How to request a chargeback
- Go to the merchant first, in writing. Ontario's consumer protection guidance says to contact the business, preferably in writing so you have a record. Give a short deadline and keep copies.
- Gather proof: the order or contract, receipts, the delivery date promised, your cancellation notice and how you sent it, and any replies.
- Contact your card issuer quickly. Use the dispute option in your app or call the number on your card, then follow up in writing. Ask what deadline applies to your card.
- Pay the rest of your bill. Keep paying at least the minimum on everything you are not disputing so you do not add interest or late marks. See how card interest works.
- Track the response. Note the date the issuer acknowledges and any temporary credit. The merchant may contest the dispute with its own evidence.
- Escalate if needed. Use the issuer's complaint process. A federally regulated institution must have one, and it must belong to an approved external complaints body if you are not satisfied.
What to put in writing
Quebec's law lists what a chargeback request must contain, and it is a good checklist anywhere:
- the cardholder's name, and the card number and expiry date;
- the merchant's name;
- the date of the contract;
- the amount charged and the amount the merchant should refund;
- a description of the goods or services;
- the reason for cancelling, the cancellation date, and how you sent the cancellation.
Subject: Chargeback request, card ending [last 4 digits]
I am requesting a chargeback of [amount] charged by [merchant] on [date] for [goods or services]. I cancelled the contract on [date] by [email / letter] because [reason]. The merchant has not refunded me. Copies of the order, my cancellation and the merchant's replies are attached. Please reverse the charge and any related fees and confirm in writing.
[Name], [date]
Send card numbers only through your issuer's secure channel, never by ordinary email.
Quebec's rules for online and distance purchases
Quebec writes the chargeback right into law for distance contracts, which include purchases made online, by phone or by mail, paid by credit card:
- After a valid cancellation, the merchant must refund within 15 days.
- If it does not, you can ask your issuer to charge back all amounts paid, and cancel related charges, within 60 days following the default.
- The request must be in writing with the details listed above.
- The issuer must acknowledge within 30 days and make the chargeback within 90 days or two complete statement periods, whichever comes first.
The Office de la protection du consommateur notes exceptions, including perishable goods such as food, auction purchases, lottery tickets, credit agreements, and service contracts such as course series, gym memberships, daycare and dating services.
Ontario: late delivery and cancelling
Ontario's government says that under the Consumer Protection Act, when you order a product it must be delivered within 30 days of the promised delivery date or you can ask for a refund, and you lose that right if you keep an item delivered late. For orders over $50 made online, by phone or by mail, the business must give you a contract you can keep. If you paid by credit card, Ontario's advice is to let your card provider know about the dispute to stop any remaining payments. The Act applies if either you or the online seller is in Ontario during the sale. Other provinces have their own consumer laws; check your provincial consumer protection office.
Worked example: the jacket that never came
Mathieu in Montréal ordered a $249.99 jacket online. It did not arrive, so he cancelled in writing on October 1, 2026, as Quebec law allows for late delivery.
- The merchant's refund was due by October 16 (15 days).
- No refund came, so the 60-day window runs to December 15, 2026, 75 days after he cancelled.
- He sends his written request on October 24. His issuer must acknowledge by November 23 and credit the $249.99, plus any related charges, by January 22, 2027 at the latest, or sooner if two complete statement periods end first.
Had Mathieu waited until January, he would have been past the 60 days and back to negotiating with the merchant or going to court.
When it is not a chargeback
- You changed your mind. Ontario points out there is no general requirement for businesses to accept returns or exchanges, so a store's policy decides.
- Interac e-Transfers you sent. These are not card payments; see our e-Transfer scams guide.
- Fraud on your card. Report it as unauthorized, not as a merchant dispute.
Options people compare
| Route | Best for | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Ask the merchant for a refund | Every dispute, first | Get it in writing |
| Chargeback through your issuer | Non-delivery, unrefunded cancellations, billing errors | Issuer deadlines; Quebec's 60 days |
| Provincial consumer complaint | Merchants breaking consumer law | Does not move money by itself |
| Small claims court | Larger amounts when other routes fail | Time, filing fees, limits by province |
These are options to understand, not recommendations. More tools are on the tools page.
How to request a credit card chargeback in Canada
- Ask the merchant for a refund in writing and keep a copy.
- Gather the order, receipts, promised delivery date, your cancellation and any replies.
- Contact your card issuer quickly and ask what dispute deadline applies to your card.
- Send a written chargeback request with the merchant, date, amount, description, reason and cancellation details.
- Keep paying the rest of your card balance on time while the dispute is open.
- Track the acknowledgement and credit dates, and use the issuer's complaint process if you are not satisfied.
Questions people ask
How do I do a chargeback in Canada?
Ask the merchant first, then contact your credit card issuer and dispute the charge in writing with your proof. Your cardholder agreement and the card network rules set the deadline outside Quebec.
How long do I have to request a chargeback?
It depends on your issuer and card network, so ask right away. In Quebec, for a distance contract paid by credit card, you have 60 days after the merchant fails to refund within 15 days of your cancellation.
Does FCAC handle chargeback disputes?
No. FCAC says it does not resolve individual complaints or provide compensation. Use your issuer's complaint process, then the external complaints body it belongs to.
How long does the issuer have to refund me in Quebec?
The issuer must acknowledge your request within 30 days and make the chargeback within 90 days or two complete statement periods, whichever comes first.
Can I get a chargeback if an online order never arrived in Ontario?
Ontario says a product must be delivered within 30 days of the promised date or you can ask for a refund, and to tell your card provider about the dispute if you paid by credit card. Keeping a late item ends that right.
Can I get a chargeback on a debit purchase?
Most consumer chargeback rules are about credit cards. For a pre-authorized debit from your bank account, you usually have 90 calendar days to ask your bank for reimbursement.
What if the charge is fraud?
Report it to your issuer right away as an unauthorized transaction. That is handled differently from a dispute with a merchant you did deal with.
Looni is being built to flag duplicate charges, renewals after cancellation and refunds that never landed, show each with proof, and count down your dispute window. Read-only, no advice.
Sources
Québec, Consumer Protection Act, CQLR c P-40.1, sections 54.13 to 54.16 (15-day refund, 60 days following default, written request contents, 30-day acknowledgement, 90 days or two complete periods); Office de la protection du consommateur, Online purchases: how to get a refund (exceptions); Ontario, Your rights under the Consumer Protection Act (30-day delivery rule) and Advice on shopping online or over the phone ($50 contract, tell your card provider, no general return requirement); Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, Complaint-handling under the Code of Conduct for the Payment Card Industry (chargeback defined, network guidelines, provincial laws) and File a complaint with your financial institution. Dates in the example are our arithmetic.