Canadian Shops Are Moving to Tap-to-Pay Terminals That Go to the Customer

A Toronto dog daycare owner now takes payments on the spot, with a wireless card terminal in one hand and a dog leash in the other. Alexis Berger runs Camp Canine and says clients simply tap. Her story comes from a sponsored post supplied by Chase, and it points to a real shift: mobile contactless payments in Canada grew 40% year over year, according to the article.

What changed

More Canadians are carrying only their phones and paying with a tap. The article says shoppers will walk away if their preferred way to pay is not offered. For a business, that makes accepting tap cards and mobile wallets a basic need, not an extra.

Berger uses a Chase Payment Solutions Canada terminal that moves with her team. The idea is that the business goes to the customer, instead of the customer coming to a counter.

Who it affects

Small businesses make up most of the Canadian market. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada counts 1.10 million employer businesses, and 98.2% of them are small. Berger is on her second store and says she wants a couple more.

The cost squeeze

Rising costs are a major worry, tied to trade tensions between Canada and the United States. A 2026 Canadian Small Business Report from Merchant Growth, cited in the article, found among affected businesses:

• 38% report higher costs for goods and supplies.
• 27% report lower revenues.
• 23% say they absorbed higher costs because they could not raise prices.

That is why the article stresses predictable costs, including a clear list of card processing fees.

What the system offers

Chase says its terminal takes major credit cards, Interac debit cards, contactless chip cards, mobile wallets and online payments. It also tracks inventory, keeps a product catalogue and shows sales reports online. It can send payments, refunds, fees and deposits into QuickBooks Online, an accounting program, which can cut manual bookkeeping.

What is not known

The article gives no prices or fee rates. It says Chase offers transparent pricing with no hidden costs, but that is the company's own claim. It does not compare Chase with other providers. Berger's praise of the pricing is also part of a sponsored piece.

What to do

Shop owners can check that they accept tap cards and mobile wallets. Before signing with any processor, they can ask for a written list of every fee, when each applies and how the costs add up.