Sending a fax to a landline in Canada
Send a fax to a Canadian landline from your browser. Ten-digit format, area codes by city, time zones and office hours. A single page is free, and anything longer costs €3.99.
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Canada is one of the few places where fax is still part of daily life, above all in healthcare, law and property. You can reach a Canadian landline from this page without a fax machine, a telephone line or an account.
Canadian numbers share the North American plan: an area code of three digits and then seven more. Toronto uses 416, 647 and 437, Montreal 514 and 438, Vancouver 604, 778 and 236, Calgary 403, 587 and 825, Ottawa 613 and 343, the Maritimes 902 and 782. Type all ten digits without the 1 that North Americans dial for long distance.
Only area codes that belong to Canada are accepted. A number from the United States, even one that looks similar, is turned away, and so is any code that has never been assigned. Mobile numbers share these area codes, but a fax can only be delivered to a fixed line, so make sure the recipient gave you their fax line.
Your first page is free and anything longer is a flat €3.99. Canada spans six time zones, so check the recipient's province before you send: a late-afternoon send from Europe reaches Toronto in the early afternoon and Vancouver mid-morning.
Canada fax numbers: how to enter them
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Dial code | +1 |
| ISO code | CA |
| Numbers accepted | 10 digits: a three-digit Canadian area code plus seven digits, without the leading 1; US and unassigned area codes are refused |
| Example number | 5145551234 |
| Region | North America |
Canada: what we accept and what we turn down
| Number typed | Outcome | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 416 555 0123 | Accepted | Toronto |
| 604-555-0199 | Accepted | Vancouver |
| (613) 555-0142 | Accepted | Ottawa |
| 1 416 555 0123 | Rejected | The leading 1 is not entered |
| 416 555 012 | Rejected | At least one digit is missing |
| 555 555 0123 | Rejected | This area code does not exist in the country |
Area codes for the main cities
| City or line type | Area code |
|---|---|
| Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area | 416 / 647 / 437 |
| Montreal | 514 / 438 |
| Vancouver and British Columbia | 604 / 778 / 236 |
| Calgary and Alberta | 403 / 587 / 825 |
| Ottawa and eastern Ontario | 613 / 343 |
| Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island | 902 / 782 |
Canada: who still takes faxes?
- Family doctors, clinics, pharmacies and hospitals exchange referrals, lab results and consent forms by fax, a habit backed by provincial privacy rules.
- Law firms and notaries send signed pages and supporting documents during closings and court proceedings.
- Brokers, lenders and agents pass offers, amendments and signed disclosures back and forth by fax during a purchase.
- Some provincial and municipal offices accept supporting paperwork by fax alongside their online portals.
Fax numbers of organisations are not something we publish. Take the number from a recent letter or from the recipient’s official site.
The official online alternative
Federal services run on secure accounts: My Account with the Canada Revenue Agency, My Service Canada Account for benefits, and provincial portals for health cards, driver licences and business registration. Most routine filings are expected online.
Healthcare is moving to provincial e-health systems and secure clinical messaging, but systems rarely talk to each other across provinces or between clinics and private offices, which is why fax lingers. Where a recipient asks for a fax, it is usually for that reason.
Canada: time zone and office hours
| Time zone | Eastern Time (six time zones across the country) |
|---|---|
| Gap with Paris | UTC-5 (UTC-4 in summer) in Toronto; UTC-8 (UTC-7 in summer) in Vancouver |
| Typical office hours | Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00 local |
Canada: common questions
- Do I include the 1 before a Canadian area code?
- No. Select Canada and type only the ten digits, for example 416 555 0123. The leading 1 and the international prefix are added automatically.
- Can I use this for a US number?
- No. Canada and the United States share the +1 code, but CaptainFax only reaches numbers in Canadian area codes. A US number is rejected at the form.
- Which time zone should I use for office hours?
- Use the recipient's own province. Ontario and Quebec are on Eastern Time, Alberta on Mountain Time and British Columbia on Pacific Time, so offices open up to three hours apart.
Send a fax to Canada
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Keep exploring
A few pages that go well with the one you just read.
- Choose a country to see its dial code and the number format we expect, then send your fax to a landline.
- Look up a country’s code, its usual prefixes and how long its numbers are before you fax across a border.
- Choose the country, type the number, and find out at once whether it is ready to use.
- What time it is for your recipient, and when every office is staffed at once.
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