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 dive in, and if you're new to VPNs, you can brush up 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 lightning-fast VPN service with robust security features and 4 servers in Canada
- Private Internet Access - is a low-cost service with heavy focus on user privacy
- Surfshark - is a low-cost and feature-rich VPN service
- CyberGhost VPN - is great value-for-money VPN due to its simple app, great features, and low price, with lots of servers in Canada
- VyprVPN - is a fast VPN with excellent stealth capabilities
5 Best VPNs for Canada: In-depth analysis
We've hand-picked five of the best VPNs for Canada - and you'll find detailed descriptions of each below. All these services boast geo-unblocking power, an abundance of international servers, and speeds that'll allow you to browse the web, stream, and download with ease.
All the prices below are shown in US dollars.
ExpressVPN is a lightning-fast VPN service, great for streaming HD content that is blocked in Canada. ExpressVPN is a leader in the VPN market, thanks in no small part to its strong privacy policy and zero-logs policy. Better still, Express has servers in 94 countries that are all lightning-fast with unlimited bandwidth and the ability to bypass ISP throttling. With ExpressVPN, you'll be able to access the internet securely without it affecting your speed. The recently launched Lightway protocol offers a faster, more secure encryption standard, too. When reviewing ExpressVPN we were pleased to find that it's available on all popular devices. It installs in a snap and is really easy to use. On top of its 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. Try Express today risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Private Internet Access is a trustworthy VPN that has strong privacy features and great apps for most platforms. Private Internet Access (PIA) has made a tremendous impact on the privacy community over the years, and continues to impress with a no-logs policy that's been proven in court on multiple occasions. While this VPN provider may be based in the US, it packs powerful privacy features and outstanding levels of customizability. Also, PIA is a great pick for unblocking US content, with a selection of US servers that can unblock HBO GO, Netflix US, NBC, ABC, and anything else you might be interested in. With PIA, you won't need to worry about sluggish downloads or buffering - its servers are quick, meaning you can stream in HD. Considering its versatility, this VPN is affordable and easy to use – and it has apps for all platforms which can be used on up to 10 devices simultaneously. And, if you want Torrent, this VPN has a kill-switch to ensure you can do it safely. This VPN is versatile because you can use it to torrent and for security on public WiFi. Finally, it has a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test it risk-free. Surfshark is a great value for money VPN with a heavy focus on super-fast streaming. Surfshark VPN is a relatively young VPN provider, but in that short time, it has taken the VPN market by storm with blazing-fast speed, performance, and a global network of servers. Its focus on unblocking streaming platforms makes it a great budget-friendly Netflix VPN. With its split tunneling function, you can access services from both abroad and locally without sacrificing your security. What is unusual about Surfshark, is that it allows you to connect as many devices as you want to the service at the same time! Its unlimited connections offer relies on the trust it has with its users, and users are better off for it. As is to be expected from today’s top VPN providers, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and 24/7 live chat support. CyberGhost VPN is the best VPN for Canada due to its fantastic features, easy-to-use app and low price. CyberGhost has a large network of 6,200 servers in 90 countries (including Canada and the US), and you'll be able to enjoy unlimited bandwidth on all of them. Additionally, the service's encryption is rock solid. CyberGhost offers IKEv2 encryption and the OpenVPN protocol, which is the VPN protocol that we always recommend using. While this VPN keeps some aggregated bandwidth data, it keeps no logs – not of your connections or activities – making it a great privacy pick. The service permits up to 7 simultaneous connections, so you can protect all your devices or share the account with family and friends. All in all, this VPN is of great value for money! CyberGhost does, unfortunately, lack obfuscation (stealth) technology, but this won't be an issue for most users in Canada, and doesn't really detract from their feature-rich service. You can try the service for yourself risk-free with the company's 14-day money-back guarantee for monthly subscribers and unprecedented 45-day money-back guarantee for anyone subscribing to lengthier plans. VyprVPN offers a quick service that has proven its no-logs claims and effectiveness with a full and independent third-party audit. VyprVPN is a great VPN for Canada. VyprVPN owns and operates all of its own hardware, which takes away a lot of concerns about speeds and reliability on the network. There’s also an optional VyprDNS service, which is great news for those looking to unblock Netflix US, YouTube, and similar services on their devices. VyprVPN also has an app for Tomato routers, which allows you to get all of your devices covered by one VPN subscription. Encryption is strong, and this VPN keeps no usage logs (but some connection logs for 30-days). We recommend this VPN for everything apart from torrenting. VyprVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee to test the service. 1. ExpressVPN
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5. VyprVPN
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Why do I need a Canadian VPN in Canada?
Using a VPN creates a tunnel around your internet traffic, encrypting it and making sure that no one can intercept and spy on your internet usage. In addition to this extra security, there are plenty of other benefits of using a VPN:
- Your ISP cannot see what you get up to online.
- It prevents bandwidth throttling because your ISP can't tell what you're doing.
- 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 from knowing your real IP addresses although you should also use browser add-ons to prevent other forms of website tracking.
- You can access websites and buy products and services from other countries.
- Obfuscation and kill switch features allow you to get around government censorship and surveillance without putting yourself at risk.
- 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.
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. Enterprises uses VPNs for professional use just as much as they are by individuals for personal use. For this reason, it is highly unlikely that VPNs will ever be outlawed in Canada.
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 and allow users to access all kinds of blocked content. This is why, when selecting VPNs for best-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 that expand the government's internet surveillance capabilities in several 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 as 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.
Conclusion
Using a VPN is a great way to increase your online security and privacy, get the most out of your internet, and unblock regional content. Now that you've got the information to help you decide on what VPN is best for you, here's a quick reminder of our top picks for VPNs in Canada:
- ExpressVPN - is a lightning-fast VPN service with robust security features and 4 servers in Canada
- Private Internet Access - is a low-cost service with heavy focus on user privacy
- Surfshark - is a low-cost and feature-rich VPN service
- CyberGhost VPN - is great value-for-money VPN due to its simple app, great features, and low price, with lots of servers in Canada
- VyprVPN - is a fast VPN with excellent stealth capabilities