What shapes an online store in Canada
Canadian shoppers are few for the size of the country they live in. That one fact drives shipping, and shipping drives most of the decisions a store has to make.
| Topic | What it means for your store | Decide early |
|---|---|---|
| Sales tax | GST or HST applies everywhere, at a rate set by the province the order goes to. Quebec adds QST, and British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have provincial sales taxes of their own | The provinces where you are registered, confirmed by your accountant |
| All-in prices | The Competition Act treats drip pricing as deceptive. A price in an ad or on a product page has to include fees the customer cannot avoid, though taxes imposed by government may be added at checkout | Every fee you charge, and whether it is in the first price shown |
| French for Quebec | Businesses established in Quebec sell in French: product pages, checkout, emails and customer service. Rules on product packaging and labels were tightened in June 2025 | Whether you serve Quebec, and who supplies the French |
| Payment | Credit cards carry most online orders. Interac debit can be offered online and through phone wallets where the customer's bank supports it, and Interac e-Transfer suits larger or business orders | The payment provider, and whether Interac is worth adding |
| Shipping | Distances are long and rates climb quickly outside the main cities. The national postal service has been interrupted by labor disputes more than once, so stores keep a second carrier ready | Carriers, rate tables and what you promise remote customers |
| Selling to the United States | Many Canadian stores sell south of the border. Since 2025 parcels to American customers no longer enter free of duty at low values, which adds duties and customs data to every order | Whether US sales are in scope, and who pays the duty |
| Marketing messages | Canada's anti-spam law requires consent for commercial emails and texts. A purchase creates implied consent for a limited time only, so cart reminders and newsletters need a recorded basis | How consent is captured at checkout, and when it expires |
Store workflows we build for the Canadian market
Four workflows that a store built for another country usually gets wrong here.
Checkout by province
For any store that ships across the country.
- Customer enters a postal code
- Province identified
- Tax and shipping calculated
- Total shown before payment
- Paid by card or Interac
- Receipt sent in the customer's language
Shopping in French
For stores that serve customers in Quebec.
- Visitor chooses French
- Catalog, cart and checkout follow
- Order emails sent in French
- Customer service replies in French
- Returns handled the same way
Order to the United States
For Canadian brands with American customers.
- Customer selects a US address
- Prices shown in US dollars
- Duties and fees estimated at checkout
- Customs data sent to the carrier
- Tracking shared
- Returns routed back across the border
Cart reminder with consent
For stores that follow up on unfinished orders.
- Shopper enters an email address
- Consent box left empty by default
- Reminder sent only if consent exists
- Unsubscribe link in every message
- Consent date stored
What we build
Stores for the Canadian market
A hosted platform or a custom build, with prices in Canadian dollars and a second currency where you sell abroad. Our comparison of Shopify and custom ecommerce covers the decision.
Tax by province
Tax rules or a tax service that apply the right combination of GST, HST, QST and provincial tax to each order.
English and French storefronts
Two complete versions of catalog, checkout and emails. French content is supplied by your team or your translator and loaded into the same structure.
Shipping logic
Rates by postal code, more than one carrier and clear delivery estimates for remote addresses.
Cross-border selling
Duty and tax estimates at checkout, customs data for carriers and a returns path for orders sent to the United States.
Back-office connections
Stock, accounting and fulfillment systems linked to the store, so that tax and orders reconcile without retyping.
What we need from you
- The provinces and countries you ship to
- Your tax registrations, by province
- Product data in English, and in French if Quebec is served
- Carrier accounts and current shipping rates
- Access to the stock and accounting systems behind the store
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
A readiness checklist for a Canadian online store
Before development starts
0 of 8 checkedWhat to do next
Tell us what you sell, which provinces and countries you ship to and which systems run your stock. We will reply with a platform recommendation, the tax and language points that apply and a first scope. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
Common questions
How does sales tax work for a Canadian online store?
Tax follows the destination. An order to Ontario carries HST, one to Alberta carries GST alone, one to Quebec carries GST and QST, and a few provinces add their own sales tax. Small suppliers below the federal threshold may not need to register at all. The store calculates the right combination once it knows the postal code. Where you must register is for your accountant to confirm.
Does our store need to be in French?
If your business is established in Quebec, yes: the storefront, checkout, emails and service have to be available in French. A store elsewhere in Canada that ships to Quebec is in a less clear position and should take advice, and Quebec customers generally expect French either way. We build the French version alongside the English, using text from your translator.
Can customers pay with Interac?
Often, yes. Interac debit can be accepted online through payment providers that support it, and through Apple Pay or Google Pay when the customer's bank has enabled it. Support varies by provider and by bank, so confirm it before design. Interac e-Transfer is also used for larger and business orders, usually with a manual or semi-automatic matching step. Credit cards remain the main method.
Can we still sell to US customers from a Canadian store?
Yes, but the sums changed in 2025, when the United States ended duty-free entry for low-value parcels. Orders to American customers now carry duties and need full customs data. A store should estimate those costs at checkout, so the customer is not surprised at delivery, and decide who pays them. Some brands respond by holding stock inside the United States.
Where to go from here
Related serviceE-commerce PlatformsCommerce built for the way you sell