Best VPN for Canada 2020: Stay Safe Online, Eh?

Besides sweet maple syrup, Canada has a lot going for it: beautiful landscapes, culturally rich cities and abundant wildlife. Over 18 million people visit Canada every year. If you’re one of them, you’re most likely going to connect to the internet. In this article, we’re going to tell you why you should use a virtual private network and which are the best VPN for Canada.

VPNs are mainly used to keep you safe online, but they can provide other benefits. Censorship is a big problem in some countries, just look at China. In Canada, the internet is generally free, though. You can use social media and other services as you please, along with websites and other online content.

Online Censorship in Canada

For the most part, the Canadian government doesn’t block or filter online content. It only takes action against illegal content. Accessing child pornography is rightly illegal and, if hosted in Canada, it is subject to removal. A project called Cleanfeed Canada allows internet service providers to block access to child pornography hosted outside of Canada, too.

In May 2019, leaders from around the world met to discuss censoring the internet. Many, including Justin Trudeau, signed the Christchurch Call to Action, which is a pledge to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. Trudeau promised that the internet would be policed to protect Canadians from hate speech, misinformation and bullying online.

Other than that, the internet is free and Canada is committed to net neutrality, ensuring that content is presented by ISPs without discrimination. The Telecom Regulatory Policy and Telecom Decision were released by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in April 2017 and ruled against different pricing and media preferences by ISPs.

Besides censorship, a VPN is often the answer to getting around geoblocks. For instance, if you wanted to watch Netflix U.S., you’d find it inaccessible outside of the United States. Choose a server in the country you want the content from and, voila, you can view it. Check out our best VPN for Netflix article for more recommendations.

There’s something else to keep in mind about Canada, as well. Its French-speaking province, Quebec, requires some websites, by law, to be in French. They can be in other languages, too, but must be in French at the forefront. Website owners who do not comply may receive a warning from the government and be subject to fines if they take no action.

Because of that, some website operators choose to block Quebec residents from the get-go, rather than pay for translation. Those who have been caught not providing their websites in French may do that, too. If traveling there, a VPN would allow you to access them.

Cybercrime in Canada

It is also worth knowing that some online activities are illegal. As it is in many countries, including Germany, torrenting copyrighted material is one example. Canada targets people who torrent copyrighted movies, books, TV shows and music. If caught, the ISP may send you a notice and there is a possibility of fines.

If you are partial to gambling, the law is unclear. It is illegal for companies to operate online casinos from Canada, but it is not illegal to access them from Canada as long as they are operated elsewhere. Phew. You may have to read that a few times.

Provinces in Canada have the right to make decisions within their borders, though. For example, Quebec, Ontario and Columbia each have government-run casinos to generate funding, and those are legal to play.

Internet users are free to discuss political and social issues without concern of prosecution, apart from some provisions in the Canadian Criminal Code. Hate speech and libel are regulated with punishment, including imprisonment, and courts can order the content to be removed.

In addition, cybercrime is a problem in many countries, especially with the growth of public WiFi. Read our best VPN for Thailand piece for an example. Canada has seen a major increase in the last two years. Consumer fraud, including insurance, credit card and mortgage fraud, is common. A 2017 survey found that over one-third of Canadians had been targeted by scams.

Surveillance in Canada

Canada’s data privacy laws are invasive and Canadian surveillance capabilities have expanded. The 2015 Anti-Terrorism Act allows information to be gathered and shared across government agencies for many purposes, most of which have nothing to do with terrorism.

There have been reports that the Communications Security Establishment shared data unlawfully and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service did not get authorization to retain metadata from communication intercepts that it was ordered to destroy.

The Best VPN for Canada 2020

What Makes a VPN the Best for Canada

Given the reasons to use a VPN in Canada, some factors are more important than others when selecting a provider. You want to choose one that has a good network of servers in as many places as possible to get around restrictions. The more there are available, the better the chances of finding one to suit.

If the content you want is restricted to Canada, you need to have servers located there. Likewise, if you want to access U.S. streaming services, you’ll need servers in the U.S.

Choosing one with good speeds and unlimited bandwidth is beneficial, especially if you want to stream. This way you can watch as much as you like without waiting forever for it to load. Those are valuable features for torrenting, as well.

Security is essential to keeping you safe from cyber threats, as well as hiding you from surveillance. Make sure it has a strong no-logs policy, too, as that ensures your online activity is not recorded and cannot be passed on to third parties.

Other features to keep in mind are what devices it supports, as well as how easy it is to use, especially if you don’t know much about VPNs. Helpful customer service is always welcome and your budget will also play a part in your decision.

1. The Best VPN for Canada: NordVPN

NordVPN often pops up in our VPN articles and is the winner here. Its massive network of servers spans 60 countries, which should be more than enough to get you around restrictions. That includes 422 in Canada, way more than any other provider we know of.

It has decent speeds, but it can get slow over long distances. A short hop to the U.S. for Netflix shouldn’t be a problem, though, and switching servers is a fast process. It has unlimited bandwidth, so you can stream as much as you want and it won in our best VPN for torrenting piece, too.

NordVPN is one of the most secure VPNs available. It has the extra option of double-hop encryption, too, which gives you even more protection. It doesn’t keep logs and barely knows anything about you, so your privacy is respected, as well. Have a look at our NordVPN review for more information.

Other Reasons We Like NordVPN

It has a smooth setup process that will get you connected in minutes. You can use it on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS and the user interface has a good layout that’s easy to use.

If you have problems, you can use the large knowledgebase to try to sort them out. If that doesn’t work, you can contact customer support via live chat or email. Live chat is the quickest route and easy to access.

NordVPN offers a good service at an affordable rate, with lengthier plans being cheaper in the long-run. There is a 30-day refund, so, if you’re uncomfortable signing up for a long subscription, you can use that to make sure you like it first.

NordVPN Review

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2. ExpressVPN

A very close second is ExpressVPN, which is comparable to NordVPN, as you can see in our ExpressVPN vs NordVPN article. It has a great network of servers in 94 countries, including some in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. 

ExpressVPN came in first in our fastest VPN services and best VPN for streaming articles. You won’t have trouble streaming and, with no bandwidth caps, it’s a good choice for torrenters, too. You can read more on the service in our full ExpressVPN review.

It has excellent security with AES 256-bit encryption turned on by default, plus the option to increase it. A solid no-log policy is in place, too, so there won’t be any evidence of your online activities.

Other Reasons We Like ExpressVPN

If you’re quite new to this stuff, ExpressVPN may be the best option for you. All you have to do to use it is make sure you are connected and choose which server you want, which is simple. It supports Windows, macOS, Android and iOS and there are browser extensions for Safari, Firefox and Chrome.

Customer support is great, with live chat and email as contact options. Live chat is faster, but the staff is friendly and helpful either way.

ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive providers, but we still recommend it for its excellent service. Besides, you can save money by opting for a longer plan and it offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can try it before committing.

ExpressVPN Review

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3. CyberGhost

Third on our list is CyberGhost. It has many servers dotted around 89 countries, giving you lots to choose from to bypass restrictions. There are 211 in Canada, which is more than ExpressVPN, but its security isn’t as good as our top two choices. Our CyberGhost review goes into more detail.

It has good speeds, but like NordVPN, it can be slow over long distances. As with our other choices, it doesn’t have bandwidth limits and is a good pick for streaming or torrenting. Security is great, as well, despite not having as many options as NordVPN or ExpressVPN.

It honors your privacy, too, by not keeping usage logs.

Other Reasons We Like CyberGhost

CyberGhost can easily be installed on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. The clients are easy to use, and its interface was recently updated, making it a bit easier on the eye.

One of CyberGhost’s best features is its customer support. There’s an extensive knowledgebase that should help you solve most common problems. Plus, live chat and email are available. Live chat is more immediate, but the staff give thorough answers either way.

The monthly plan is affordable but the biggest savings are in longer subscriptions. You can take advantage of its seven-day trial for Android and iOS. Plus, there’s a money-back guarantee, which covers all platforms.

Cyberghost Review

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4. VyprVPN

Another good provider for Canada is VyprVPN. Its servers cover 64 countries, but the overall count is considerably less than our top choices. Still, you should be able to bypass blocks without issue and there are servers in Toronto for region-specific content.

Its speeds are good, but they can be slow at times. Even so, it ranks well for streaming and torrenting and has unlimited bandwidth. Read more about the service in our VyprVPN review.

It offers plenty of security to keep you safe, including its own Chameleon protocol, which adds more encryption to the VPN tunnel. A no-logging policy is in place, too, so you’re online shenanigans will remain secret.

Other Reasons Why We Like VyprVPN

Setup is quick and easy, with clients available for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. The desktop client’s layout isn’t the best but it’s still simple to use. The mobile apps are much better, though, and have a more practical interface.

An FAQ section is available which should help you get back on track if problems arise. If you need more assistance, you can contact customer support through live chat and email. However, the help isn’t great.

VyprVPN has a reasonable price plan but, again, prices are much better over a longer term. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee available, which should give you plenty of time to decide if you like it.

VyprVPN Review

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5. AirVPN

Finally, there’s AirVPN. It isn’t as good as our other options, but it’s nothing to be sniffed at, either. Its server network isn’t as big, but you should still be able to circumvent blocks by choosing a server from the 22 countries covered. It has 31 servers in Canada, which is good for those who want to access Canadian content.

Its speeds are fast and it doesn’t have bandwidth restrictions. Security is good, with high encryption protocols, and it’s customizable, which might appeal to people in the know. AirVPN takes privacy seriously, too, with a strict no-logs policy.

Other Reasons We Like AirVPN

AirVPN can be used on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, but it’s not great for newbies. It’s aimed more at experienced users, so if you want something that is ready to go, it isn’t the one for you.

Customer service is good, but, unlike other providers, it doesn’t offer live chat. It has a ticket-style system, which you can read more about in our AirVPN review. It seems to run on European hours, too, so wait times may vary. There is a forum available to help resolve small issues, so you may want to try it first.

Pricing is affordable but, as with the others, you can save money by signing up for a longer period. Like VyprVPN, it doesn’t offer a refund. It has a free trial available, but you have to request it. You could just opt for the three-day option for $2.19 to save the hassle, though, which should give you enough time to check it out.

AirVPN Review

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Final Thoughts

Using a VPN is important to keeping yourself safe from cyberattacks and surveillance anywhere you go and it’s easy to see why Canada is no exception. Besides, you’ll most likely want to use one to bypass any restrictions you come across.

You should choose one that has many servers for bypassing those blocks, plus some in Canada for content restricted to it. You’ll also want it to have good speeds, so you’re not wasting your time just waiting for things to load, as well as good security and a no-logs policy.

With all those factors in mind, NordVPN is our best VPN for Canada. It has a large server network, including 422 in Canada, good speeds, excellent security and a no-logging policy.

Let us know in the comments below if you have any tips or experience using a VPN in Canada. We’d love to hear from you. Check out our other VPN articles while you’re here, too. Thank you for reading.

NordVPN Review

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