Canada's new $20 bank note enters circulation in late February 2027: what to do with the old notes you have

1. First, a few terms

Who the Bank of Canada is. It is Canada's central bank, responsible for designing, printing and issuing Canada's bank notes. It is not an ordinary bank: you cannot open an account or deposit money at the Bank of Canada, and you cannot take bank notes there in person to exchange them. For everyday deposits, withdrawals and exchanges, you still go to the bank or credit union where you have your account. Coins are not its responsibility; they are the responsibility of the Royal Canadian Mint.

Legal tender. The Bank of Canada explains it as the money the government has approved for official use in Canada; in legal terms, it means money that a country recognizes as a way to pay debts. Bank notes issued by the Bank of Canada and coins issued by the Royal Canadian Mint are both legal tender.

Legal tender does not mean stores must accept cash. The Bank of Canada says this clearly: even though bank notes are legal tender, no law requires anyone to accept cash; businesses have the right to decide which ways of paying they accept. So when a store says "we only take cards", that is a separate matter from whether your $20 note is real money and can be used.

Announcing, unveiling and issuing are three steps.

• "Announcing": the government or the Bank of Canada publicly says a new note will be made, for example by deciding whose portrait it will show;
• "Unveiling": the look of the new note and its security features are shown to the public;
• "Issuing, entering circulation": the new note is actually delivered to banks, ATMs and stores, and people can spend it.

The new $20 note has now completed the second step; the third step has to wait until late February 2027. When people simply say a note has "come out", these three steps are easy to mix up.

Polymer notes, often called "plastic money". Most bank notes now in circulation in Canada are made from a single piece of polymer; they feel smooth and have transparent parts. The new $20 note is also made of polymer.

Vertical notes. The design is printed vertically, so you hold the note upright to look at it. The new $20 note is the second note in Canada's Vertical series; the first was the vertical $10 note issued on November 19, 2018, which shows civil rights pioneer and businesswoman Viola Desmond on the front.

2. When you can get the new $20 note

What "gradually" means. The new notes will not appear at every bank in the country on the same day. The Bank of Canada has only said "late February"; it has not announced which day, which branch or which ATM will have them first. If you go to your bank once late February arrives and cannot get a new note, that is normal; ask again a while later.

What the Bank of Canada will do before the note is issued. The news release and the Governor's speech say that before the note is issued, the Bank will test it on machines such as bill counters and ATMs, and will work with banks, machine manufacturers, the cash-handling industry, retailers and police so that people get to know the new note and its security features.

The next note is the $5. Another Bank of Canada page says the front of the new vertical $5 note will show Terry Fox; it is still at the research and early development stage, has no set date, and will only come after the new $20 note is issued. The current $5 note can be used as usual.

If you want to ask about the new note at a bank counter, you could say:

"Do you have the new vertical $20 notes at this branch? If not, when should I check again?"

This only asks whether they have the notes. The Bank of Canada has not said that branches must give you a particular version, and it has not said you can reserve new notes.

3. What the new note looks like

Front. A portrait of King Charles III. This is the first Canadian bank note to show him, and the first time in more than 70 years that a new monarch has appeared on the $20 note. The portrait is surrounded by a ring of flowers and leaves, which the Bank of Canada says reflects the King's lifelong concern for the environment. To the left of the portrait are the official flowers of the 13 provinces and territories; the stems and leaves connecting these flowers are based on designs in the Books of Remembrance on Parliament Hill.

Back. It still shows the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France, which honours the contributions and sacrifices of Canadians in all the wars they have served in. The memorial stands on the site of the 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge.

Small round transparent window. It can be seen from both sides. Inside are four plants of cultural significance to Indigenous Peoples in Canada; clockwise from the top, they are wild strawberries, western red cedar, braided sweetgrass and arctic cotton. These plants were recommended by the Bank of Canada's Indigenous Advisory Circle and represent sustenance, gratitude and healing.

Maple leaves and poppies. Maple leaves appear in several places, and some of them are security features (section 4). The poppy is the flower of remembrance for those who died in war; during the First World War, it grew everywhere on the battlefields and in the cemeteries of the Western Front in Europe.

Colour and size. The main colour is still the green the $20 note has always used, with an added purple security band in a very noticeable colour, so you can tell at a glance that it is the new $20 note. The size is 152.4 × 69.85 mm (6.0 × 2.75 inches). Signatures: Carolyn Rogers on the left and T. Macklem on the right (Governor Tiff Macklem).

For people who are blind or partially sighted. The accessibility features the Bank of Canada describes:

• Tactile dots: The note has raised dots in groups of 6 (two columns of 3 dots each), and the $20 note has 3 groups. This is not braille. The Bank of Canada specifically says that the tactile dots are not a security feature and cannot be used to tell whether a note is genuine.
• Large high-contrast numbers: The new $20 note has a dark "20" in the top left corner of the front and a white "20" in the top right corner of the back. Hold vertical notes upright to see them the right way up.
• Colour: The $20 note has always been green, and the new one adds a purple band.
• Phone apps: The Bank of Canada tested the Seeing AI app and says it identifies the denominations of Canadian bank notes quickly and accurately.
• Older bank note readers: The bank note reader the Bank of Canada used to provide was discontinued in 2018; if you have one, you can keep using it. The website says it only recognizes the horizontal polymer notes and older paper notes; vertical notes are not included.
• To hear a recorded description, call the Bank of Canada's toll-free number, 1-800-303-1282.

4. How to check whether a new note is genuine: feel, look and tilt

The Bank of Canada says that the security features on bank notes only protect you if you actually check them. The page for the new $20 note lists the following (compare them with a real note once you have one in late February 2027):

The Bank of Canada says these moving effects are being used on a Canadian bank note for the first time, and that they are easy to check and hard to copy.

Photos and screenshots cannot show them. You can only see these effects by moving a real note. The Bank of Canada's own web page uses short videos to demonstrate them, because still pictures cannot show them. Do not decide that a note is genuine or counterfeit based on a phone screenshot or a photo online.

Check several features on one note. Do not draw a conclusion after checking only one. The Bank of Canada also says: do not be offended if someone looks closely at your bank notes; checking both large and small notes protects everyone.

5. Can you still use your old $20 notes?

Yes. In 2024, the Bank of Canada already said that, in the meantime, the current $20 note with the Queen's portrait would continue to circulate. After the new note comes out, the old $20 notes will still be legal tender: in 2021, only five denominations lost their legal tender status, the $1, $2, $25, $500 and $1,000 notes (section 6), and the $20 note is not one of them. The Bank of Canada says the government currently has no plans to take any notes other than these five out of circulation; legally, the government can remove other denominations in the future if needed. The Bank of Canada's web pages also do not give any deadline such as "old $20 notes must be exchanged by a certain date".

An example. You have 5 old $20 notes in your wallet and use them to buy groceries in March 2027; they are still worth $100. You do not need to exchange them for new notes first, and you do not have to pay any fee.

There are three kinds of older $20 notes in circulation, and you check each one differently. The new note has a purple security band; the older ones do not. Do not treat a $20 note as counterfeit just because it "has no purple band"; first work out which kind it is:

1. Horizontal polymer $20 note (issued November 7, 2012, with the Queen's portrait). How the Bank of Canada says to check it:
   • Feel: the large number, the shoulder of the large portrait, and the words "Bank of Canada" and "Banque du Canada" are raised;
   • Look: the frosted maple leaf window has a transparent outline; in the large transparent window there are a metallic portrait and a building, and the metallic portrait should match the large portrait on the front (it is the same portrait); if they do not match, you may have the 2015 commemorative note described below; the number in the transparent window should match the note's value, and the word "Canada" feels slightly raised;
   • Tilt: the metallic portrait and the building change colour;
   • Flip: on the back, you should see the same image in the same colours and detail;
   • Maple leaves: a row of maple leaves runs along the edge of the large window and extends into the window.
2. Queen's commemorative $20 note (issued September 9, 2015). It looks much like the note above, but the metallic portrait in the large window is the Queen in 1951, which is different from the large portrait on the front; the window also has the Queen's monogram (a design made from the letters of the Queen's name), a crown, a ring of maple leaves, and the words "A HISTORIC REIGN • UN RÈGNE HISTORIQUE".
3. Older paper $20 notes. They are not on the list of notes whose legal tender status was removed in 2021, so according to the Bank of Canada, paper $20 notes are still legal tender today. The Bank of Canada's page for retailers says that most notes in circulation are now polymer, and that paper notes you come across should be bundled separately from polymer notes when you deposit them at the bank, to make it easier to take paper notes out of circulation. The Bank of Canada's main bank notes page now only explains the security features of polymer notes; it does not explain how to check paper notes. Paper notes are now rare and cashiers may not recognize them, so if you have a paper $20 note, the simplest thing is to deposit it directly into your own bank account (this is CanDo Studio's suggestion).

An example. You receive a $20 note, and the Queen in the large window is clearly not the same age as the Queen in the large portrait on the front. Do not panic: check whether the window has the words "A HISTORIC REIGN". If it does, it may be the 2015 commemorative note; the Bank of Canada's page makes it clear that the two portraits are meant to be different. Then check the other features of the commemorative note listed above, one by one.

If a store will not take the note, first find out why. When a cashier says "we can't take this note", it may be that the store only takes cards, that the cashier has never seen this version, or that they suspect something is wrong with the note. If the cashier has never seen this version, you can politely ask them to look at the page for this note on the Bank of Canada's website; if the store only takes cards, or still will not take the note after looking, that is the store's choice, and you can simply pay another way.

Watch out for people who use "exchanging for new notes" to cheat you out of money. The Bank of Canada has not asked anyone to exchange old $20 notes for new ones, and its web pages do not give any deadline. If someone calls, sends you a message or comes to your door saying "old $20 notes are about to become worthless, give me your cash and I will exchange it for you" or "you have to pay in advance to reserve the first batch of new notes", stop first: do not pay, do not hand over cash, and call the Bank of Canada to ask (section 11).

Related: for how to recognize common scams and what to do if you have been scammed, see sections 10 and 11 of Guide No. 34, Protecting your credit.

6. Old $1, $2, $25, $500 and $1,000 notes: you cannot spend them, but the money is still there

Which notes are no longer legal tender. Since January 1, 2021, all versions of the $1, $2, $25, $500 and $1,000 notes issued by the Bank of Canada are no longer legal tender. None of these has been printed for a long time:

• the $1 and $2 notes stopped being issued in 1989 and 1996 respectively and were replaced by coins;
• the $25 note was a commemorative note, and both it and the $500 note were stopped shortly after they were issued in 1935;
• the $1,000 note stopped being issued in 2000.

What "no longer legal tender" means. The Bank of Canada says these notes are no longer considered money: you may not be able to spend them, and stores can refuse them. But they have not become worthless: the Bank of Canada will exchange them at face value. The Bank of Canada also says that Canada currently has no plans to make bank notes worthless, and no legal means to do so.

You have three choices:

1. Take them to the bank or credit union where you have an account and exchange them at face value. The Bank of Canada says this is the most convenient way;
2. Send them to the Bank of Canada to be exchanged at face value (you send them the same way as in section 7; see below);
3. Keep them.

Before you rush to exchange them: some may be worth more. The Bank of Canada says notes such as the $25 and $500 notes may be worth much more than their face value on the collectors' market. To find out what yours is worth, look it up in a collectors' catalogue, or ask two or three dealers who serve collectors for an estimate. After that, decide whether to exchange it or keep it.

An example: you find an old $1,000 note in a drawer at home. You can no longer spend this note at the supermarket, but it is still worth $1,000. You can:

• first ask two or three dealers whether it could sell for more on the collectors' market;
• if you do not want to keep it, take it to your own bank and tell the teller: "I have an old $1,000 bill. I understand it's no longer legal tender, but the Bank of Canada still honours it at face value. Can you exchange it or deposit it into my account?"

The Bank of Canada's web pages do not say exactly how each bank handles this (whether they exchange the note on the spot or you have to wait, and whether you need to fill in a form), so go by what your bank tells you. It is safest to call before you go.

What is not accepted. The Bank of Canada's redemption service does not accept coins (for coins, contact the Royal Canadian Mint), foreign bank notes, or notes brought to the Bank of Canada in person. Exchange foreign currency at a currency exchange or a bank.

Related: if you do not have a bank account yet, for how to open one and which fees to compare, see "Open a bank account and compare fees" under "In the first week, get five basic things started" in Guide No. 2, First 90 days; if you want to save the money you get back or put it in a tax-free account, see section 2 of Guide No. 15, Saving tax & investing.

7. Burned, soaked, chewed or contaminated notes: send them to the Bank of Canada to exchange

What counts. The Bank of Canada accepts three kinds:

• Mutilated notes: burned by fire, badly soaked in water, missing a piece, or damaged in some other way so badly that they can no longer be used;
• Contaminated notes: exposed to drugs, blood, mould, sewage or unknown substances, and possibly harmful to people;
• Notes that are no longer legal tender: the five kinds in section 6.

The Bank of Canada's redemption policy is about damage "beyond normal wear and tear"; notes that have simply become worn through normal use do not count as mutilated here.

An example. A stack of notes left in an old coat pocket goes into the dryer and is ruined by the heat; or the family dog chews the notes in a wallet to pieces. If they are too damaged to spend, you can send them to the Bank of Canada following the steps below.

How to send them:

1. Fill in the Bank of Canada's claim form, the Canadian Bank Note Redemption Claim Form (the link is at the end of this section). If your information is incomplete, the Bank of Canada may contact you. On the form, give accurate details of who you are, how much you are sending, where the notes came from and how they were damaged: the Bank of Canada's redemption policy says it checks all of these, and if your explanation does not add up, the whole claim may be refused (see "When you may not be paid" below). Payment goes by direct deposit into the claimant's own bank account, so if you do not have a bank account yet, open one first (this is CanDo Studio's suggestion).
2. Put the notes in a clear, sturdy bag or box that can be sealed. If they are falling apart, wrap them in bubble wrap; touch any fragments as little as possible. Contaminated notes must go in a sealable, clear, leak-proof bag, with "contaminated" clearly written on the bag, and if you know what contaminated them, write that too; keep them separate from other notes.
3. Put the sealed notes and the claim form together in an envelope or package. Do not put the claim form inside the bag with the notes.
4. Send them by regular mail, registered mail or courier to:
   Bank of Canada
   Bank Note Redemption Service
   234 Wellington Street
   Ottawa, ON, K1A 0G9

For contaminated notes, check the transport rules before you send them. The Bank of Canada says: if you suspect the notes are contaminated, first contact Transport Canada's Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorate to find out whether the law sets any packaging and transport requirements for sending them, for example for notes exposed to sewage that count as dangerous goods under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act. Even if there are no legal requirements, handle them with care. The Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorate's web page is listed at the end of this section; it does not give a phone number for the Directorate itself, but you can reach Transport Canada's contact page from it.

You send them at your own risk, so be sure to insure them. The Bank of Canada states that you send the notes at your own risk, and you must take proper steps to protect against loss or theft, for example by insuring the package. Using registered mail or a courier that you can track is CanDo Studio's suggestion.

What happens next.

• When the Bank of Canada receives the notes, it will send you a letter to confirm; for mutilated and contaminated notes, it will also give you a case number.
• Keep the confirmation letter and the case number. The redemption service's web page only gives a mailing address, with no separate phone number or email; if you have questions, call the Bank of Canada number in section 11 or use the online form (choose the topic "Bank notes"), and give your case number when you do (giving the case number is CanDo Studio's suggestion).
• Experts assess how much the notes are worth under the Bank of Canada's redemption policy.
• Simple claims are usually processed within 30 to 60 business days. Complex claims, claims for more than $1,000, claims with incomplete information that has to be supplied later, or times when there are a lot of claims, take longer.
• The Bank of Canada's policy on redeeming mutilated and contaminated notes states that payment is made by direct deposit into the claimant's bank account, and any fees the bank charges are paid by the claimant.

When you may not be paid. The Bank of Canada's policy on redeeming mutilated and contaminated notes says it will refuse a claim when there are reasonable grounds for suspicion, for example: the claimant's identity cannot be verified; the notes are counterfeit or linked to crimes such as money laundering; the explanation of how the notes were damaged or how they were obtained is inconsistent or does not make sense; or security features have been removed or altered, or the notes have been damaged on purpose or in bulk, for example by dyeing them or washing them with chemicals. If part of a claim does not hold up, the whole claim may be refused. If a claim is refused, the Bank of Canada will explain why in writing, and the notes may be kept or destroyed.

A few more things to know. The same policy also says: the Bank of Canada may not assess contaminated notes, or may ask you to clean them first; if processing a claim costs too much, the Bank of Canada may ask you to pay part or all of the costs (for example, the costs of assessing or destroying the notes); it does not accept mutilated notes that were collected in bulk or received in exchange for goods, services or other money; and it may share the information in a claim with law enforcement and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC, the federal agency responsible for fighting money laundering).

What to say at the bank counter. If a note is damaged, you can first ask your own bank: "This bill is damaged. Can you accept it, or do I need to send it to the Bank of Canada's Bank Note Redemption Service?" The Bank of Canada's web pages do not say whether banks accept damaged notes, so go by your bank's answer.

8. What to do if you suspect a note is counterfeit

First, remember one thing: if you accept a counterfeit note, no one will make up the loss. The Bank of Canada states that whoever accepts a counterfeit note, knowingly or not, takes the loss and gets no compensation, and this is the same in every country. In Canada, knowingly using or keeping counterfeit money is a criminal offence. So the best approach is to check notes at the moment you receive them.

If something feels wrong when you are receiving money (for example, someone hands you a $20 note that does not feel right): the Bank of Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) say:

1. First check whether you are in any danger; safety comes first;
2. Be polite. The other person may also be a victim and may not know there is a problem with the note;
3. Politely refuse the note, and explain that you suspect it may be counterfeit;
4. Ask for a different note, and check that one too;
5. Suggest that the person take the note to the local police to have it checked;
6. Tell the local police that someone may be using counterfeit money.

You could say: "Sorry, I think this bill might be counterfeit, so I can't accept it. Could you give me a different one? You may want to have the police check this one."

If you only notice something is wrong after accepting the note: hand it in to the local police. If it is genuine, the police will give it back to you. The Bank of Canada says that reporting it promptly helps police and prosecutors catch counterfeiters, and helps them know how much counterfeit money there is in the community. Do not use it to pay again: knowingly using a counterfeit note is a crime.

Police numbers in Greater Victoria. If something is happening right now or there is danger, call 911. If it is not urgent, call the police department for the area where you received the note (section 10 of Guide No. 20 also tells you to choose by where it happened):

When you call, you could start like this: "Hi, I think I received a counterfeit $20 bill. I'd like to hand it in to be checked. Where should I bring it?"

Keep a record (this is CanDo Studio's suggestion, not an official requirement). Write down the date, the place and who you received the note from, and the denomination of the note. You can tell the police this when you hand it in.

Related: for when to call 911, and how to find police numbers for other parts of Greater Victoria and other cities in B.C., see sections 1 and 10 of Guide No. 20, Staying safe and getting help.

9. What businesses that handle cash need to prepare

Machines may need an upgrade. The Bank of Canada says that when the new note comes out, businesses that use the following machines may need to upgrade them, and some may even need to replace them: bill counters, note authenticators, self-service kiosks and self-checkouts, vending machines, transit and parking pay machines, gaming machines, payment terminals, ATMs (also called ABMs in Canada), note recyclers, high-speed sorters and so on. The Bank of Canada asks businesses to contact their machine manufacturers or suppliers to find out whether changes are needed and when they will be ready. The Bank of Canada will give manufacturers sample notes a few months before the new note is issued so that they can test them in their machines.

You could ask your supplier: "Will our bill counter / self-checkout accept the new vertical $20 note when it comes out in late February 2027? Do we need an update, and when will it be ready?"

Train your staff. The Bank of Canada says that most counterfeit notes get into circulation at retail checkouts. Its free materials for retailers include a security features leaflet for the new $20 note, a security features poster and a staff handbook, all of which can be downloaded online. Printed materials can also be ordered free of charge, with postage paid, using the order form on that page; however, the Bank of Canada says fewer printed materials are now available to order, and it may limit quantities. Through its offices in six cities, Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto, Montréal and Halifax, it also offers free training sessions of 30 to 90 minutes on security features and what to do if you receive a suspicious note, and these can be adapted to your store's needs. The website does not say where the sessions take place or whether one can be arranged for a store in Victoria; call 1-800-303-1282 to ask.

If you receive a suspicious note. Follow section 8. The Bank of Canada's page for retailers says that when retailers and financial institutions hand suspicious notes in to the local police, they should use the RCMP form "Request for Analysis of Non-Court File Submissions". The Bank of Canada's page does not give a link for where to get this form; ask the local police when you hand in the note.

Deposit paper notes separately. If you come across paper notes, bundle them separately from polymer notes when you deposit them at the bank, to make it easier for banks to take paper notes out of circulation.

10. What is still uncertain

As of November 3, 2026, the Bank of Canada's web pages do not say:

• Exactly which day, which branch or which ATM will have the new notes first. They only say "gradually entering circulation in late February 2027".
• When each machine will be able to accept the new note. That depends on the machine's manufacturer and supplier.
• Whether the new note will be worth more. The Bank of Canada has not said anything about the collector value of the new note. Do not treat a "new version" or "first batch" note as a collectible that is sure to go up in value, and do not pay a high price for one for that reason.
• Whether you can see the new note in circulation before late February. Under the plan the Bank of Canada has announced, the new note will not start to circulate until late February 2027. Before then, if someone offers you a vertical $20 note as payment or tries to sell you one, do not accept it or buy it for now; call the Bank of Canada to find out.
• How each bank exchanges old notes, and whether banks accept damaged notes. For old notes that are no longer legal tender, such as the $1 and $1,000 notes, the Bank of Canada only says that going to your own bank is the most convenient way, and does not say exactly how each bank handles it; for burned or soaked notes, the Bank of Canada's web pages do not say whether banks accept them and only explain how to send them to the Bank of Canada.

If the plan for issuing the note changes, go by the Bank of Canada's updated announcement.

11. Who to ask if you have questions

Questions about bank notes (new notes, old notes, redemption): ask the Bank of Canada.

Why there are winter and summer columns. Since November 1, 2026, B.C. no longer turns its clocks back and uses Pacific Time (UTC-7) all year; the east still changes its clocks, so the time difference between the two changes: 2 hours in winter and 3 hours in summer. Winter means the months when the east is on standard time, from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March of the next year; the rest of the year is summer. The B.C. times in the table are for most of B.C.

When you call, you could start like this: "Hi, I have a question about Canadian bank notes. I live in British Columbia and I have an old ___ bill. Can I still use it, and how can I redeem it?"

What the Bank of Canada cannot help with. It is not an ordinary bank: it does not handle problems with your own bank account or disputes with your bank; for those, see the website of the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC). For coins, contact the Royal Canadian Mint. The Bank of Canada does not exchange foreign currency.

Counterfeit or suspicious notes: contact your local police (section 8).

Questions about your own bank (whether it has the new notes, whether it can exchange old notes): ask the bank where you have your account.

12. Checklist before you act

• Keep using your old $20 notes as usual; you do not need to exchange them. From late February 2027, you will gradually start to see the new $20 note: vertical, green, with a purple security band.
• When you receive a $20 note, first work out which version it is, then check it against the Bank of Canada's page for that version: for the new note, check the purple security band, the raised ink and the gold maple leaf; for the older polymer note, check the large transparent window and the metallic portrait; on the 2015 commemorative note, the portrait in the window is meant to be different from the one on the front. There is no Bank of Canada page for checking paper $20 notes; deposit them at your own bank.
• If you find $1, $2, $25, $500 or $1,000 paper notes at home: first ask two or three dealers whether they are worth more; if you are not keeping them, exchange them at your own bank, or fill in the form and send them to the Bank of Canada.
• Burned, soaked, chewed or contaminated notes: fill in the redemption claim form, seal the notes in a clear bag, do not put the form in the bag, and send them to 234 Wellington Street in Ottawa; remember to insure them; it usually takes 30 to 60 business days.
• If you suspect you have received a counterfeit note: politely refuse it on the spot and ask for a different one; if you have already accepted it, hand it in to the local police and do not spend it.
• If you run a business: ask your machine supplier whether the new note will be accepted and whether an upgrade is needed; download the Bank of Canada's security features materials for the new $20 note to train your staff.
• If someone says "old $20 notes are about to become worthless" or "pay to reserve the new notes": stop first, and call 1-800-303-1282 to ask.

Related guides

• → No. 34 · Protecting your credit
  How to recognize common scams: calls and texts claiming to be from your bank, the police, the CRA or immigration, and people who say they can "recover your losses" after you have been scammed (section 10); what to do step by step after a suspicious call, after losing your ID, or when someone has borrowed money in your name (section 11).
• → No. 2 · First 90 days
  A checklist for your first three months in Canada: your rights and the fees to compare when you open a bank account in the first week, plus basics such as your SIN, MSP health coverage and a phone number.
• → No. 15 · Saving tax & investing
  Accounts such as the TFSA, RRSP and FHSA are like boxes, and the products inside are a separate matter; how to check your contribution room before you deposit (section 2); the five things to ask when someone tries to sell you a product (section 4).
• → No. 20 · Staying safe and getting help
  First checking the danger in front of you and when to call 911 (section 1); stopping further losses after a scam or a leak of your personal information (section 9); police non-emergency numbers for Victoria, Saanich, the West Shore and several large cities in B.C. (section 10).

Main official links in this guide

These are all the official pages used in this guide. The Bank of Canada's news releases, the Governor's speech, its bank note pages, its explanation of legal tender, its redemption service and redemption policy, its counterfeit prevention page, its training materials and its general inquiries page, the RCMP pages and the pages of the Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay police departments, the time zone pages of the Province of B.C. and the National Research Council Canada (NRC), and the page of Transport Canada's Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorate were all opened and read on November 3, 2026. There are a few things we could not check: the redemption claim form is a PDF file that we did not open, so this guide does not say what to fill in on each part of the form; the demonstrations on the security features page for the new $20 note are videos, and we only read the text; that page's title includes "Flip", but it does not list what to check when you flip the note, so section 4 does not cover flipping; and the Bank of Canada's general inquiries page does not say whether the phone line is open on statutory holidays. Each section also lists the links it uses at the end.