What Are Canada Post Shipping Rates in 2024?

When it comes to postage, prices fluctuate yearly. If you want to send a letter to your pen pal or long-lost lover, you may want to know how much it will cost you according to this year’s changes. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of Canada Post shipping rates to make it easy for you to stamp that letter and go.

We will also discuss:

  • the varying parcel price
  • business discount programs
  • alternative courier services and
  • how to send a letter through Canada Post.

Let’s jump right in!

The Cost of Mailing a Letter in Canada

Every letter is different. Whether it be a postcard sent to your friends overseas, a manuscript sent to a Hollywood studio, or a company newsletter to your domestic customers, prices will vary. You also must be aware of the approximate weight to determine whether it is considered standard or non-standard size mail. Here we have broken down Canada Post prices for you by destination.

Canada Post Shipping truck

Sending Personal Letters and Mail

Letters and mail can be standard size,  non-standard sizes, and oversize. Postcards and regular-sized letters are considered standard size. The dimensions considered standard size are:

  • Rectangle: 5.6” x 3.6” x 0.007” to 9.6” x 6.1” x 0.2”
  • Square: 5.51” x 5.51” x 0.007” to 6.14” x 6.14” x 0.19”

Here are the standard-size Canada Post prices for domestic, US, and international mail destinations:

Weight Domestic Mail US Mail International Mail
Up to 30 g (or 5 sheets of paper) $1.07 for a single stamp or $0.92/stamp in a booklet $1.30 $2.71
30 g to 50 g (or up to 9 sheets of paper) $1.30 $1.94 $3.88

Items that weigh over 50g do not qualify for standard-size pricing and will be determined by non-standard Canada Post letter mail rates.

The maximum dimensions of non-standard mail and oversize mail are 15” x 10.6”. Here are non-standard and oversize Canada Post letter rates for domestic mail, US mail, and international mail:

Weight Domestic Mail  US Mail International Mail
50 g to 100 g (or up to 20 sheets of paper) $1.94 $3.19 $6.49
100 g to 200 g (or up to 40 sheets of paper) $3.19 $5.57 $11.14
200 g to 300 g (or up to 60 sheets of paper) $4.44 $11.14 $22.28
300 g to 400 g (or up to 80 sheets of paper) $5.09 $11.14 $22.28
400 g to 500 g (or up to 100 sheets of paper) $5.47 $11.14 $22.28

If the letter weighs over 500 g, it will be priced as a parcel. Stay tuned to learn more about Canada Post package rates.

So when will it get there? Here are the delivery estimates for standard, non-standard, and oversize mail:

  • Within town or city: 2 business days
  • Within a province: 3 business days
  • To other provinces: up to 4 business days
  • To the US: 4 to 6 business days
  • International: 4 to 7 business days

Business Postage Pricing

When it comes to business postage prices, circumstances differ depending on the size of the business. Let’s discuss prices for small and large businesses.

Small businesses

Canada Post offers a discount program for small businesses called Canada Post Solutions for Small Business. The membership is free. It also comes with access to the online shipping tool Canada Post Snap Ship which allows small businesses to create, pay for, and print shipping labels online.

Discounts are given based on the average amount the business spends on shipping annually.

These are the domestic rates:

Level 1 Post Office Level 1 Online Level 2 

Online

Level 3 

Online

Level 4 Online
Yearly shipping spend $0-$2,499 $0-$2,499 $2,500-$4,999 $5,000-$7,499 $7,500+
Priority Up to 5% Up to 9% Up to 13% Up to 18% Up to 30%
Xpresspost Up to 5% Up to 13% Up to 19% Up to 26% Up to 34%
Expedited Parcel Up to 4% Up to 11% Up to 19% Up to 24% Up to 32%

Large Businesses

If your company ships more than 1,250 parcels or 100,000 direct mailings a year, you also can qualify for volume-based discounts. You will be able to use their Electronic Shipping Tool to print labels, track shipments, and schedule pickups. Contact Canada Post for more details and to find out your discounted Canadian postage rates.

Make sure to check out our in-depth Canada Post Prepaid Visa review!

Post Parcel Rates in Canada

If you’ve got a heftier package on your hands, consider Canada Post to send your parcel. There are a variety of options to choose from. Read on to learn more about shipping time, packaging, and Canada Post rates.

Canada Post office

Regular Parcel™

Regular Parcel™ through Canada Post is the most economical option for sending your parcel. It is ideal for shipping within Canada and for larger-volume shipping. You can also track your packages online and check to see when your package is delivered.

The parcel includes ground shipping, which means it will take longer to reach the destination. Here are the delivery estimates:

  • Within towns or cities: up to 2 business days
  • Regionally: between 3 to 5 business days
  • Nationally: between 4 to 9 business days

Priority™

If you are looking for the fastest delivery of your parcel within Canada, go with Priority™. It includes signature collection and on-demand pickup as part of the service.

Next-day delivery is guaranteed within Canada, and $100 worth of liability coverage is available. Return to sender and hard-copy signature services are an extra fee.

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Here are some general prices for Priority™shipping:

  • Weight: maximum of 0.75 kg or 1.7 lbs
  • Price: starts at $20.08

Prepaid envelopes (0.318 mm x 241 mm to 15 mm)

  • Sent regionally: $26.57
  • Sent nationally: $38.69

Large-sized prepaid envelopes (0.394 mm x 314 mm x 30 mm)

  • Sent regionally: $27.43
  • Sent nationally: $44.03

Prepaid labels are available to those who have an established agreement with Canada Post. It costs $30.86 regionally and $56.32 nationally for the first 1.36 kg. Then it goes up to $37.61 regionally and $90.89 nationally for up to 5 kg mail.

Xpresspost™

If you’d like cheaper Canada Post parcel rates that still offer quick delivery, you might try Xpresspost™.  This service will deliver your mail within the next day if it is located in the same province. It shares the same services as Priority™, but it takes up to two days for the mail to be delivered nationally. Additionally, an extra fee is charged if you require the recipient’s signature.

  • Weight: Up to 0.75 kg

Small prepaid envelopes (260 mm x 159 mm x 15 mm)

  • Regional: $11.94
  • National: $18.12

Medium prepaid envelopes (318 mm x 241 mm x 15 mm)

  • Regional: $13.50
  • National: $19.04

Large prepaid envelopes (394 mm x 314 mm x 30 mm)

  • Regional: $16.59
  • National: $29.67

Small prepaid bubble envelopes (247 mm x 190 mm)

  • Regional: $12.49
  • National: $17.14

Large prepaid bubble envelopes (400 mm x 292 mm)

  • Regional: $18.67
  • National: $30.22

Prepaid labels for up to 1.36 kg are $18.50 regionally and $34.75 nationally. For up to 5 kg mail the price is $24.35 when sent regionally and $62.21 when sent nationally.

Expedited Parcel™

Another service offering cost-effective Canada Post parcel rates is the new Expedited Parcel™. It provides tracking and on-time guarantees. It is best used for large-volume shipping which makes it a great option for businesses. Canada Post provides up to $100 liability coverage in case of loss or damage.

Here are the required dimensions for Expedited Parcel™:

Documents and parcels

  • Size: 100 mm x 70 mm x 1 mm to 2 m x 3m
  • Maximum weight: 30 kg

Mailing tube: 100 mm x 23 mm x 23

And when will it get there? Here are the delivery estimates:

  • Locally: 1 day
  • Regionally: up to 3 days
  • Nationally: up to 7 days
  • To the US: 4 to 7 days

Flat Rate Boxes

If you have a relatively heavy package, getting a flat rate box might be a good idea to avoid higher postage rates in Canada. You can save a lot of money for a small business by having a lower, predictable cost. The maximum weight is 5 kg. The medium and large boxes can be dropped off at the post office, while small flat rate boxes can be dropped off at a street letterbox. The delivery is guaranteed to be on time and tracking is available.

Here are the postage rates for flat rate boxes:

Small (10.375″ x 14″ x 2.125″) $17.99
Medium (15.375″ x 10.25″ x 4.75″)5 $22.99
Large (15.75″ x 11.8125″ x 7.50″) $29.99

For a Canada Post estimate on how much your package will cost, visit the Canada Post website.

Alternatives: Courier Service in Canada

If you don’t want to be restricted to Canada Post envelope sizes, consider another courier service. If you are interested in sending your parcel through a different service, consider the following options.

DHL Express

DHL Express is higher than Canada Post’s cost due to less infrastructure in place and fewer scheduled routes. But DHL has more thorough handling procedures and smaller demand.

The price is not as fixed as the post office. If you are looking to ship something that is bigger than the normal size, go with DHL. Additionally, the insurance they offer is better because even DHL’s most basic insurance option will offer a base-value compensation if the package is lost or stolen.

DHL is available around the world, making it a great option for international shipping. Additionally, the delivery service works evenings and weekends, unlike Canada Post.

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Amazon

Getting something shipped from Amazon will take considerably less time compared with Canada Post (unless you are using Canada Post Express or Priority Post Canada. This is because Canada Post deals with a high volume of things like mail.

With Amazon, you can choose standard shipping (3 to 6 days), express shipping (2 to 4 days), priority shipping (1 to 3 days), two-day shipping, or one-day shipping. The shipping times within Canada vary depending on your location and selected shipping speed.

FedEx

FedEx is popular among larger online businesses that have overnight shipping options. Like DHL, it can also deliver in the evenings and on weekends. FedEx is another great option for international shipping.

Purolator

Purolator is a Canadian courier that is 91% owned by Canada Post. Purolator is available for the deliveries within Canada and the US. Even though the company has been around for 60 years, they are not very well-liked among Canadians.

Canada Post is cheaper and has more features. However, some advantages of Purolator are that if you ship in high volume, you can get rebates. Also, the service will pick up your packages from your door rather than having to go to the post office to drop your package off.

United States Postal Services (USPS)

Did you know you can use the USPS to ship to the US? Through a shipping company like ChitChats, you will be offered a faster delivery with USPS, and shipped to more US addresses. It is also more affordable than the Canada post shipping cost to ship to the US. You will most likely save on postage to the USA from Canada using this service.

How to Mail a Letter in Canada?

Are you ready to send your first piece of mail? We will tell you just how to do it:

  1. Fill the envelope and seal it.
  2. Write the address the mail is going to. If you aren’t sure how to address your envelope, click here for Canadian mailing address guidelines. If you don’t know the postal code, click here to find the postal code.
  3. You can purchase postage online or from the post office. You can also find stamps being sold at newsstands. Check the above information to estimate how much your piece of mail will cost, then put the stamp or stamps in the upper right-hand corner. If you are at the post office, it will be stamped for you and sent off.
  4. After you’ve stamped your letter, you can drop it off at any red Canada Post mailbox on the street.
  5. If you are mailing a parcel to the US or internationally, you must fill out a customs form. You can pick up a customs form from the post office.

Conclusion

As you can see, shipping rates vary greatly depending on the package’s weight, shipping distance, dimensions, delivery speed, and courier service. Generally, Canada Post is a solid choice when it comes to shipping smaller mail. But there are many other courier service options out there if you are shipping more sensitive packages, and are shipping to the US and internationally.

FAQ

Does Canada Post charge by weight or size?

Generally, Canada Post shipping rates are based on weight. A heavier package will cost more to ship. However, in a flat rate box, you can ship everything under 5 kg at the same price. That being said oversized packages can have additional charges.

What is the cheapest way to ship within Canada?

Within Canada, it is cheapest to ship using Canada Post.

Is it cheaper to ship Canada Post or UPS?

Canada Post shipping rates are generally cheaper than those of UPS.

Is it cheaper to ship a box or bag?

It depends on the size and weight of what you are shipping. Bags are cheaper because they weigh less. However, this is not a viable option if you are mailing something heavy.

ABOUT AUTHOR

When Angela combined her deep-seated love for linguistics with her growing interest for finance and money management, she struck a gold mine. She’s scoured the internet far and wide for all things related to money and finances, including payments, budgeting and investing. Now she’s eager to share her knowledge and skills with the world, determined to make it a better place. In her free time, she loves to read a good book.

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