Using a VPN in Canada will help you avoid unwanted surveillance and data collection. You can also unblock content that isn’t currently available in Canada. Alternatively, you can connect to a Canadian VPN service to get a Canadian IP address.
Before we start, if you're new to VPNs you can get up to speed quickly with our helpful guides:
What are the best VPNs for Canada?
Check out the list below for a quick look at our recommended Canada VPNs.
- ExpressVPN - is a lightening fast VPN service with robust security features | 4 servers in Canada
- NordVPN - is a great VPN for Canada, it has fantastic security features and it's great for privacy | 459 servers in Canada
- CyberGhost VPN - is the best Canada VPN due it's easy to use app, great features and low price | 176 servers in Canada
- PrivateVPN - is a fantastic VPN for Canada and it's the cheapest on our list! | 3 servers in Canada
- VPNArea - is an excellent VPN service with a low price point | 4 servers in Canada | $2.99 per month
5 Best VPNs for Canada: In-depth analysis
Read on for more detail about the best Canada VPN services.
All the prices below are shown in US dollars.
ExpressVPN is a lightening fast VPN service, great for streaming HD content that is blocked in Canada The company has a strong privacy policy and keeps no usage logs. Better yet, the servers are all lightning fast, so you can securely use the internet in Canada without it costing you speed. When reviewing ExpressVPN we were pleased to find that it's available on all popular devices. It installs in a snap and is really use to use. As well as intuitive design - it’s incredibly secure and includes privacy-conscious features like Domain Name System (DNS) leak protection and a kill switch, which disconnects you from the internet if your VPN stops working. NordVPN is a fantastic VPN for Canada, it has great security features like double VPN which encrypts your data twice NordVPN is a great pick for those who are more preoccupied with security than anything else. In addition to the typical security-focused features that most VPNs have, NordVPN goes the extra mile by being based in Panama, accepting Bitcoin as payment, and giving you the option to use Tor and VPN together. Should you have any issues connecting or any problems, its friendly customer service will be quick to respond. NordVPN is definitely a service worth trying – you can always take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re dissatisfied with the service. CyberGhost VPN is the best VPN for Canada due to it's fantastic features, easy to use app and low price CyberghostVPN has servers in 60 countries including Canada and the US. Encryption is rock solid since it offers IKEv2 encryption and the OpenVPN protocol (or recommended protocol). This VPN keeps no logs but it does keep some aggregated bandwidth data. However, the servers won't keep logs of your connections or activities: which is great for privacy. The service permits up to five simultaneous connections, so you can protect all your devices or share the account with family and friends. And last but not least, this VPN is great value for money! PrivateVPN is the cheapest VPN on our list and it has excellent features making it one of the best VPN services for Canada This Swedish provider has everything you need from a VPN. Consumers rate this VPN highly because it is superb for privacy and unblocking. The software is easy to use and available for all platforms. This VPN keeps unblocking services like iPlayer and Netflix US: unlike most VPNs. Encryption is strongly implemented OpenVPN, and this VPN has a zero logs policy. With so much available at such a low price, there is no wonder that this VPN is a fantastic choice for people living in Canada. Why not try it thanks to its 30-day money back guarantee and 7-day free trial. VPNArea is a great choice for Canadian VPN users and it's great value for money VPNArea is a superb, value for money Virtual Private Network based in Bulgaria. It is an efficient, feature-packed service, that provides watertight privacy for its subscribers. The VPN provides a killswitch and DNS leak protection within its clients and provides top-of-the-range features such as obfuscated servers (for getting around firewalls and concealing VPN use). The VPN keeps zero-logs, which means that it will never have any data to hand over to the authorities, and because it is based in Bulgaria this is very unlikely to happen anyway! When it comes to streaming content this VPN is superb, not only does it provide fast connection speeds, but it has specific servers set up in Canada that make it perfect for unblocking Canadian online services. This VPN is also one of the few services that manages to unblock popular services such as Netflix US and BBC iPlayer. Finally, this VPN has outstanding 24/7 live chat support, and it gives all subscribers a generous 14-day money back guarantee to test the service. VPNArea is great value for money and well worth checking out if you need a VPN for Canada.1. ExpressVPN
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2. NordVPN
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3. CyberGhost VPN
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5. VPNArea
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Why do I need a Canadian VPN service?
- Your ISP cannot see what you get up to online.
- Your government and CSEC won't know what you get up to online because your ISP can’t see what you get up to online and tell them.
- Your ISP can’t report you for copyright infringement as required by law (see later) because it can’t see what you get up online.
- You can use public WiFi safely and privately, even when CSEC is using it to spy on you on behalf of the NSA.
- It prevents websites knowing your real IP addresses although you should also use browser add-ons to prevent other forms of website tracking.
- You can use a VPN for Netflix to unblock a lot more Netflix content, a VPN will also enable you to unblock other streaming services like BBC iPlayer which are also blocked in Canada.
Canadians enjoy the second largest catalog of Netflix titles in the world, but it’s still over a third smaller than your American neighbours can watch. Check out our Notflix tool to find out more.
Are VPNs legal in Canada?
Yes, VPNs are legal in Canada.
Without VPN technology, Canadian businesses wouldn’t be able to secure their data and traveling employees wouldn’t be able to maintain their digital privacy. VPNs are often used by enterprises for professional use as much as they are by individuals for personal use. For this reason, it is unlikely that VPNs will ever be outlawed.
That being said, it’s not uncommon for services or websites to block incoming VPN traffic. Fortunately, there are VPNs that still slide under the radar. Which is why, when selecting VPNs for top five guides, we always verify whether they access services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer.
Surveillance laws in Canada
Canada has recently passed a number of laws which expand its internet surveillance capabilities in a number of key ways.
Bill C-11 - Copyright Modernization Act
Bill C-11 requires ISPs and search engines to set up a notice and notice regime. This means they must retain logs of users’ activities’ and identities so that if a copyright holder notifies them of an infringement, they can identify the offender.
Bill C-11 extends and clarifies what constitutes “fair use” of copyrighted material and reduces the statuary damages liable by consumers of copyrighted material used for non-commercial purposes to between C$100 and C$5000. The Canadian government even intervened when US right holders tried to claim damages of up to $150,000 per infringement.
Bill C-51 - Anti-terrorism Act
This highly controversial law was passed in 2015 and greatly expanded the scope of CSIS‘s powers.
Along with provisions such the right to cancel banking transactions and place individuals on no-fly lists, the Anti-terrorism Act gave CSIS sweeping powers to hack or otherwise access any internet connected device.
Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act (was Bill C-30)
The Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act gives Canadian authorities wide-ranging powers to monitor and track the online activities of its citizens. Unlike the failed C-30, police do now need "reasonable grounds for suspicion" to obtain a warrant to access online data, phone records, and digital tracking, but the bar for obtaining such a warrant has been criticized as being very low.