Market guide · North America
Selling in Canada
Canadians use credit cards for most online purchases and Interac debit for many domestic ones. Surprise duty and brokerage fees at delivery are a common reason for refused parcels.
| Currency | Canadian dollar (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Languages | English, French |
| Region | North America |
| Local acquiring | Available |
| Settlement | T+1 |
| Payout rail | Interac e-Transfer / EFT · Minutes to next day |
| Import consumption tax | GST/HST · 5% |
Popular payment methods
Share of online payments by method. Illustrative figures.
| Visa, Mastercard, Amex | 60% (60% of online payments) |
|---|---|
| Interac | 14% (14% of online payments) |
| PayPal | 10% (10% of online payments) |
| Apple Pay | 6% (6% of online payments) |
How to launch in Canada
- 1Open a sandbox accountTest every flow for Canada with test cards and methods before you sign anything.
- 2Turn on local methodsStart with Interac, PayPal, Apple Pay.
- 3Process domesticallyDomestic processing in Canada avoids cross-border fees and lifts approval rates.
- 4Settle in CADHold CAD and convert when you choose, or pay out locally.
- 5Show duty-inclusive pricesQuote GST/HST and duties at checkout so nothing is due on delivery.
- 6Go liveVerify your business, switch your keys and watch the first orders arrive.
Duties and import tax
GST/HST at 5% applies to most imported goods.
Thresholds: CAD 40 for tax and CAD 150 for duty on courier shipments from the US and Mexico; CAD 20 otherwise
Estimate landed cost for an orderRegulatory notes
- Provincial sales taxes sit on top of the federal GST in several provinces.
- Quebec's language law requires French product and checkout information for Quebec consumers.
- Non-resident digital sellers may need to register for GST or HST.
Placeholder notes for the prototype, not legal advice.
Customer story nearby
Tidewater Supply
B2B Wholesale
9 days
faster average collection · Illustrative
Invoices with a pay-by-link in the buyer's currency get paid. It's that simple for us.
Dana Whitfield, Operations Manager Read the story: Tidewater Supply