Practical Information for visiting Canada

Canada uses the Canadian dollar (CAD), distinct from the US dollar. Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere and cash is rarely needed.

Sales taxes are added at the till, not shown on the shelf price, and the rate varies by province — a federal GST plus a provincial tax in most places.

Tipping is expected at North American rather than European levels: 15-20 per cent for table service, similar for taxis, and a couple of dollars per drink at a bar. Many card terminals prompt with suggested percentages.

Coverage for mobile networks is good in cities and along the main highway corridors and absent across much of the north and in wilderness areas. Canada is outside European roaming arrangements and domestic mobile plans are expensive; a travel eSIM is usually the cheaper route.

Wi-fi is standard in accommodation and cafes. Distances make flying normal between regions; VIA Rail is scenic rather than fast, and a car is necessary for the parks.

Canada is among the safer countries to visit by nearly any measure -- violent crime against travelers is rare, and most cities feel comfortable to walk in year-round. The practical risks visitors actually encounter are mostly environmental and logistical rather than criminal.

• Winter weather is the most serious everyday hazard -- extreme cold, black ice, and whiteout conditions are routine across most of the country from December through March. Check road conditions before any winter drive outside a major city, and carry a car emergency kit if traveling rural highways.
• Wildlife encounters, particularly bears in the Rockies and the north, require real precautions: carry bear spray, store food properly at campsites, and never approach an animal for a photo -- both a real safety and a legal issue in national parks.
• Petty theft is limited mostly to vehicle break-ins at trailhead parking lots and tourist areas in big cities -- don't leave valuables visible in a parked car, especially at popular hiking trailheads in Banff and Jasper.
• Distances are easy to underestimate -- driving between major cities or into the north can mean hours or days with no fuel, cell service, or roadside assistance; plan fuel stops and let someone know a rural itinerary in remote regions.
• Emergency number: 911 works nationwide and connects to police, fire, or medical services in English or French.

No vaccinations are required and tap water is safe to drink everywhere.

Healthcare is excellent but free only for residents. Visitors are billed, and costs are substantial — comprehensive travel insurance is necessary.

Winter cold is a genuine hazard rather than a discomfort: frostbite can occur within minutes at prairie temperatures with wind, and proper layered clothing is not optional.

In wilderness areas, bear safety matters — carry spray where advised, store food properly, and make noise on trails. Blackfly and mosquito season in early summer is severe in the north and the interior.

Cannabis is legal nationwide for adults, with the age and the rules set by each province, and it may not be taken across the border in either direction — including to the United States, where it remains federally illegal.

Alcohol rules are provincial: the drinking age is 18 or 19 depending where you are, and in several provinces spirits are sold only in government stores.

Tipping is expected. Politeness norms are real rather than a stereotype, and queue-jumping or brusqueness is noticed. In Quebec, opening in French is a small courtesy that carries weight.

911 reaches police, fire and ambulance across almost all of the country, though a few remote northern communities use local numbers instead.

988 is the suicide crisis helpline.

Ambulance transport is charged to visitors and is not covered by provincial health plans.

In the backcountry, coverage is usually absent; a satellite messenger is standard practice for serious trips, and park offices should be told your route.