Sending a fax to Canada
CRA, Service Canada, provincial health plans, pharmacies, courts: fax a PDF to any Canadian landline from your browser. First page free.
Like the United States, Canada is part of the North American Numbering Plan: a number is a three-digit area code followed by seven digits, with no leading 0. Toronto uses 416 and 647, Ottawa 613, Montréal 514 and 438, Québec City 418 and 581, Vancouver 604 and 778. Many cities have several overlapping area codes, so always copy the one printed on the recipient’s document.
Fax is still woven into Canadian healthcare: prescriptions travel between clinics and pharmacies by fax, as do specialist referrals and lab results. Real-estate and insurance brokers, law offices and some government services that accept forms by fax keep it in daily use too.
The country spans six time zones. Send a fax from London at 3 p.m. and it lands at 10 a.m. in Toronto but at 7 a.m. in Vancouver — the machine will take it, but nobody will read it until the office opens. Select Canada, enter the ten digits without the leading 1 or +1, and send.
Distance does not change the price: the first page is free, and any longer PDF is €3.99 incl. VAT for the whole fax. The PDF receipts, handy when you need to prove you filed something across the Atlantic, are €2.99 incl. VAT, payable only on successful delivery.
Fax numbers in Canada: what to type
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Calling code | +1 |
| ISO code | CA |
| Supported numbers | 10 digits: 3-digit area code, then the 7-digit number, without the leading 1 |
| Sample number | 5145551234 |
| Region | North America |
Canada: numbers accepted and refused
| Number entered | Result | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 416 555 0123 | Accepted | Toronto |
| 604-555-0199 | Accepted | Vancouver |
| (613) 555-0142 | Accepted | Ottawa |
| 1 416 555 0123 | Refused | The leading 1 is not entered |
| 416 555 012 | Refused | One or more digits are missing |
| 555 555 0123 | Refused | Area code that does not exist in this country |
Area codes of major cities
| City or line type | Area code |
|---|---|
| Toronto | 416 / 647 / 437 |
| Montreal | 514 / 438 |
| Vancouver | 604 / 778 / 236 |
| Calgary | 403 / 587 / 825 |
| Ottawa | 613 / 343 |
| Halifax | 902 / 782 |
Canada: who still receives faxes?
- Some Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) programs, Service Canada and provincial ministries still print a fax number on specific forms or letters. Use that number, and only that one — FaxTelecom does not publish agency numbers.
- Physicians’ offices, clinics and pharmacies: in many provinces, fax is still a routine channel for specialist referrals and prescriptions sent by the prescriber, even as e-referral systems spread.
- Depending on the province and the court, some documents can be filed by fax; many registries have nonetheless moved to e-filing. Check the court’s practice directions first.
- Insurers, mortgage brokers, law offices and real estate brokerages still take signed forms by fax, especially when an original signature is needed fast.
We never publish an organisation’s fax number: use the one printed on a recent letter or on the recipient’s official website.
The official digital alternative
At the federal level: CRA My Account and My Business Account (with the “Submit documents” service), Represent a Client for authorized representatives, the IRCC secure account and My Service Canada Account. Provinces run their own portals, including e-filing services for the courts.
Fax remains the fallback when a form names it, when a clinic or pharmacy asks for it, or when you need a signed document in front of someone within minutes.
Canada: time zone and office hours
| Time zone | Six zones: Newfoundland UTC−3:30, Atlantic UTC−4, Eastern UTC−5, Central UTC−6, Mountain UTC−7, Pacific UTC−8 (one hour later in summer, except most of Saskatchewan) |
|---|---|
| Difference with Paris | Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal: 6 hours behind Paris; Vancouver: 9; Halifax: 5. The gap shrinks by an hour for a few weeks each year (March, late October), because Europe and North America change clocks on different dates. |
| Usual office hours | Offices: typically 8:30 or 9 a.m. to 4:30 or 5 p.m. local time, Monday to Friday. Statutory holidays vary by province, so check the recipient’s local calendar before a deadline. |
Canada: frequently asked questions
- Can I fax documents to the CRA?
- Some CRA programs still list a fax number on specific forms or letters, but the agency increasingly points people to the “Submit documents” service in My Account or My Business Account. Use only the number printed on the letter you received.
- How do I know a Canadian number is a fax line, not a cellphone?
- You can’t tell from the number: landlines and cellphones share area codes. Rely on the “Fax” label on the recipient’s letterhead or form, and call the office if in doubt — a fax sent to a cellphone simply fails.
- Do I dial 1 before the area code?
- No — enter the 10 digits only. The 1 is the country code and is added for you. If you paste +1 416 555 0123, the form strips the +1 automatically.
Fax Canada now
Other countries we serve
Destinations
In this section
Where to go next
Hand-picked pages to help you prepare, send or prove your fax.
Recent guides
Blog articles on the same subject.