What International Travellers Should Know About Accessing Digital Services in Canada

Canada has an enormous amount of pristine natural wilderness to explore; from enormous national parks to stepping outside for a stroll and finding yourself in a magical woodland glade that’s only a few feet away from your own back door. Visitors come from all over the world to immerse themselves in what feels like one of the last largely wild places on earth, but there’s one thing that many of them are concerned about: the ability to access their usual digital services while enjoying the great outdoors. 

This worry applies to travellers moving from one side of the world to the other, whether they’re heading out into the great unknown or visiting a city, but it’s not typically something that needs to concern anyone unless they’re heading out into the backcountry or somewhere as far-flung as the Arctic. Everyone wants to know, and it’s a fair question as a traveller, whether or not they will be able to access the convenient digital services that they have access to at home. In the digital age, even the most present traveller or nature enthusiast needs to be connected to a degree: can Canada offer that? Of course!

Digital Services in Canada: For Your Convenience

Wherever you’re travelling from, there are a few digital moves that you should make just to make sure that all your basics and necessities are covered in the event of something truly unusual occurring.

• Download any area maps you might need so that you have access to them offline.
• Save digital copies (as well as printed) of all your travel documents to a cloud service and locally to your phone.
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication for any and all apps that allow it, instead of relying on text or email verification. Receiving text notifications may cost more in Canada if you are visiting from another country.
• Ensure that your phone is unlocked if you want to use a Canadian SIM card or an eSIM

Now that you’re as well prepared as you can be, let’s go over how your digital services will work in Canada if you’re visiting from abroad.

Online Gaming and Gaming Apps

If you love to unwind by playing a few hands of blackjack at your favourite online casino, you can take a load off because you should still be able to do so in Canada! Like in most countries, there are some regulations to take note of if you want to gamble online in Canada.

• Each province or territory is responsible for regulating this industry within its jurisdiction, so double-check the local laws.
• The minimum legal gambling age is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec, and 19 in most other provinces and territories. 
• Operators may require ID and proof of location before allowing players onto the site.

General Connectivity

International roaming is available all over Canada but may be costly. Choosing to use an eSIM or local SIM card will negate that cost, though, and likely provide better coverage. There’s free wifi all over the country too: airports, all good hotels, cafes, shopping centers, and many public spaces have great access. This won’t apply as much to rural areas, so be aware of where you’re visiting.

Payment Apps and Wallets

Contactless payments are widely accepted in Canada, and standard payment apps such as Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and Samsung Wallet will work at most retailers if international transactions are supported by your bank. Tap payments are accepted in many locations too, usually without requiring a PIN for smaller purchases.

Banking and ATM’s

See above for city visits, but do be aware that if you’re travelling to particularly rural areas it’s best to have cash available too because many businesses in these areas prefer cash. Remember to let your bank know that you’re travelling abroad if you want to avoid fraud notifications coming through every time you make a card purchase or withdrawal!

Mobile Apps

There are a few apps that you’re likely going to use more than others as a traveller: things like Uber and Lyft function in almost all cities but not as much in rural areas. For online navigation and traffic, choose Waze, Google Maps, or Apple Maps as all work well across most of the country. If you’re feeling peckish, DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Skip are the most reliable food delivery services across Canada.

Streaming and Content

Sites such as Netflix and Instagram for streaming and content mostly function the same way wherever in the world a user finds themselves, but when it comes to streaming services, you will likely find that the content library differs slightly from the one you have in your home country. As long as you have an internet connection or have downloaded your shows to watch later, you won’t be cut off from the content you love.

Messaging and Communication

In the same way as content apps, most communication apps like WhatsApp, FaceTime, Zoom, Signal, and Telegram will work just fine. You’ll be able to stay in touch with loved ones to send updates and let them know where you are, who you’re with, and what you’re up to (which is a good safety measure no matter where you are in the world).

Wifi and Privacy in Canada

Canada’s strict privacy laws mean that organizations must handle personal information very carefully, but it is still wise to avoid doing anything like banking on public wifi connections. Use a VPN to keep yourself safe because even countries with as high a quality of life as Canada are home to bad actors.

You’re All Set

Your vacation in Canada will keep you connected in all the right ways. Entertainment, convenience, safety, and communication are all covered, so all that’s left to do is enjoy every moment of your Canadian holiday.