The Bank of Canada has a program that will show you how the money from your home country changes to Canadian money.
The Welcome to Canada Guide (en français) from Citizenship and Immigration Canada gives an explanation of Canadian currency (money):
Canada’s official currency is the Canadian dollar ($). We have 100 cents (¢) in 1 dollar.
In Canada we have both coins and paper money.
- You can tell coins apart because they have different shapes, sizes and colours.
- Our paper money is all the same size, but it has different colours.
Coins you may see include:
- 1¢. This coin is called the penny and has a picture of maple leaves on the back. This coin stopped being made in 2012.
- Our 5¢ coin is called the nickel and it has a picture of the beaver on its back.
- Our 10¢ coin is known as the dime and has a picture of the Bluenose – a famous boat that has sails.
- Our 25¢ coin is the quarter and it has a picture of a caribou or elk on it.
- Our $1 coin may be called a dollar or a loonie and it has a picture of a loon on it.
- Our $2 coin is called a toonie and it has a picture of a polar bear.
Paper bills you might see are:
- Our $5 bill is blue and has a picture of one of our past Prime Ministers; Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
- Our $10 bill is purple and has a picture of one of our past Prime Ministers; Sir John A. Macdonald.
- Our $20 bill is green and has a picture of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of England.
- Our $50 bill is red and has a picture of one of our past Prime Ministers; W.L. Mackenzie King.
- Our $100 bill is brown and has a picture of one of our past Prime Ministers; Sir Robert L/ Borden.