Want to see a Canadian seethe on a travel forum? Ask if you can use US dollars in Canada. Watch a seemingly innocent question turn the forum into a frenzy. It gets asked all the time. Canadians think they’re being trolled, but I know Americans ask in good faith. So here’s a legitimate answer.
The Canadian dollar is the only currency used in Vancouver.
Nobody uses US dollars in Canada.* It’s foreign currency here.
The Canadian dollar is the only currency used in Vancouver. It’s the only currency used in Canada.
If you want to pay in cash, don’t bring US cash with you, bring Canadian cash. Or easier still, just get some Canadian cash once you’re here.
Everything is only priced in Canadian dollars in Vancouver.
The prices in Canada are only in Canadian dollars.
The prices will just show the dollar sign and won’t specify that it’s Canadian dollars. It’s assumed because you’re in Canada, the price is in Canadian.
If a shirt costs $35.99 in Vancouver, that’s in Canadian dollars, before the 5% GST and the 7% PST. If a beer costs $7 on a happy hour menu, that’s $7 Canadian before the 5% GST and the 7% PST and the 10% alcohol tax and the tip.
If you want to know how much that is in US dollars, use Google to calculate the exchange.
You don’t need cash; credit cards are accepted everywhere
There’s a saying in Canada that BC (British Columbia) means “bring cash”. But don’t bring cash to Vancouver. Vancouver has become even more of a cashless society since the pandemic.
Credit cards can be used for almost everything in Vancouver: taxis, food trucks, farmer’s market vendors, the fare for the city bus, parking lot ticket machines, the Canada Line, the Skytrain, the SeaBus, the Aquabus, False Creek Ferries, and everyday purchases at stores, hotels, and restaurants.
If a store or restaurant only accepts cash, it will be obvious. This is so rare to the point where you’re unlikely to encounter this.
Credit cards are used almost everywhere for everything in Vancouver.
Use an ATM to withdraw Canadian cash
If you need cash, go to an ATM with withdraw Canadian cash There’s no need to physically bring cash with you. There’s no need to physically exchange US cash for Canadian cash.
If you have an American bank card, you can use it in any ATM and it will only withdraw Canadian cash out of your American bank account. Your bank then automatically calculates the exchange rate (though it might tack on an exchange fee – check with your bank).
So if you withdraw $100 Canadian out of an ATM from your American bank card, at today’s exchange rate ($1 USD = 69.43 USD), only $69.43 US will actually be withdrawn from your account.
*Some stores may accept US dollars with some caveats
Savvy businesses know there are US tourists in Vancouver who aren’t familiar with currency exchange. To make things convenient for Americans, some will accept US cash. However, it comes with some caveats:
- The business gets to set whatever exchange rate they want. Sometimes their exchange rate is $1 USD = $1 CND.
- US coins are accepted at par. Four American quarters are accepted as four Canadian quarters.
- Change is always given back in Canadian cash.
When you pay in US cash in Vancouver, you’re kind of playing the black market with the business. Anything goes. The store becomes the middle man between you and their bank.
Ultimately, paying with US cash is not how people normally pay for things in Canada. I call this the round peg in square hole approach. I don’t recommend it.
