What Is a North Atlantic Charge on Your Statement?

A “North Atlantic” charge on your credit card is almost always a purchase from North Atlantic, a Canadian energy company based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The company runs gas stations, Orangestore convenience stores, propane delivery, and a commercial fleet-card program across Atlantic Canada, so the charge typically traces back to a fill-up, a propane account, or a fleet card transaction.¹

Who North Atlantic Is

North Atlantic operates gas stations, convenience stores, wholesale and commercial fuel distribution, and marine bunkering services in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.¹

In 2023, the company partnered with Suncor Energy to form North Sun Energy, a joint venture running more than 110 retail fuel and convenience sites across the three provinces.² That matters for statement reading: as of November 2024, Island Pass fleet card accounts moved to North Sun Energy for invoicing, though the cards still work at all North Atlantic and Petro-Canada retail and cardlock locations.³ Newer charges from the same stations may show up as “NORTH SUN ENERGY” instead.

Why the Charge Might Be on Your Statement

A few common scenarios explain most North Atlantic charges:

A gas station fill-up in Atlantic Canada. The billing descriptor may read “NORTH ATLANTIC” rather than naming the specific station or town.
A propane delivery or a recurring tank rental fee. Rental charges can keep posting after a customer believes service has ended.⁴
An Island Pass fleet card transaction, which is accepted at all North Atlantic and Petro-Canada locations and gives 24-hour access at cardlock sites in Deer Lake, Goobies, and Paradise.⁵
A purchase by an authorized user on your card or account.

If none of those fit and you have no connection to Atlantic Canada, treat the charge as suspicious and move to the dispute steps below.

Contacting North Atlantic First

Start with the merchant. North Atlantic takes billing inquiries by phone at 1-877-635-3645.⁶ The company’s public affairs office can also be reached by email at markduggan@northatlantic.ca.² If the charge is tied to an Island Pass account, sending the question to North Sun Energy tends to be more productive, because it now handles invoicing for those accounts.

Disputing the Charge With Your Card Issuer

If the merchant can’t resolve it, or you believe the charge is unauthorized, dispute it with your card issuer. In the United States, the Fair Credit Billing Act sets out how that works.

The FCBA Timeline

Send a written dispute letter to the address your issuer designates for billing inquiries, not the payment address. Include your name, account number, the date and amount of the charge, and why you believe it’s an error. Attach copies of supporting documents and use certified mail so you have proof of delivery.⁷

The letter must reach your issuer within 60 days after the first statement showing the charge was sent to you.⁸ The issuer must acknowledge your complaint in writing within 30 days and resolve the dispute within two complete billing cycles, up to a maximum of 90 days.⁷

While the investigation is pending, you can withhold payment on the disputed amount and any related finance charges. You still owe the rest of the balance. During that period, the issuer cannot report you as delinquent on the disputed amount, close your account, or sue to collect it.⁸

Liability for Unauthorized Charges

Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50. Many issuers go further with zero-liability policies for fraudulent transactions, particularly those made online or by phone.⁹ If a card issuer fails to follow the FCBA’s procedures, it forfeits the right to collect up to $50 of the disputed amount, even if the charge turns out to be valid.⁷

Debit cards follow a different rule under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act. Reporting a lost or stolen card within two business days limits liability to $50, but waiting longer can push exposure to $500 or more.⁹

Escalating to a Federal Agency

If your issuer won’t resolve the dispute, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints about credit card companies online at consumerfinance.gov/complaint or by phone at (855) 411-2372. The CFPB forwards complaints to the company, which generally responds within 15 days, and you have 60 days to review and comment on that response.¹⁰

For suspected fraud or a deceptive practice, the Federal Trade Commission takes reports at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC doesn’t resolve individual cases but feeds reports into a database used by more than 2,000 law enforcement partners.¹¹

1
North Atlantic. About Us
2
econext. North Atlantic
3
North Atlantic. Island Pass Notice
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Better Business Bureau. North Atlantic Complaints
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North Atlantic. Fleet Savings
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North Atlantic. Payment Options
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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Regulation Z Section 1026.13
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Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
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FDIC. Consumer News
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Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Submit a Complaint
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Federal Trade Commission. Report Fraud