I've found that the places that typically charge fees or have minimums in Canada are the tiny asian restaurants run by immigrants, and the small corner stores. Similar places in the US are the ones I find that take cash only a lot of the time.

Credit limits in Canada start out restrictive, yes, though I've generally found that if you ask for a higher limit, they will generally grant it. I've had good credit though. That probably makes a difference.

I've been lucky enough to never need to do a chargeback in Canada or the US. Maybe it's not easy in Canada.