Banknotes of the Canadian dollar facts for kids

Obverse of the 2011 Frontier series showing portraits of Wilfrid Laurier ($5), John A. Macdonald ($10), Queen Elizabeth II ($20), William Lyon Mackenzie King ($50), and Robert Borden ($100)

Canadian dollar banknotes are the paper or polymer money used in Canada. People often call them "bills." They come in different amounts like $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. The Bank of Canada is in charge of making and issuing these notes. They started releasing their first series of notes in 1935. The Canadian Bank Note Company has been printing Canada's money since then. The newest series of notes, made from a special plastic called polymer, came out between 2011 and 2013. You can see many of Canada's old and new banknotes at the Bank of Canada Museum in Ottawa.

Current Canadian Banknotes

Canada currently uses two main series of banknotes, both made from a special plastic called polymer. The 7th series, called "Frontier," was first released in 2011. The 8th series started coming out in 2018.

On May 6, 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the $20 bill will soon feature the new king, Charles III.

How Banknotes Are Made

The Bank of Canada issues all Canadian banknotes. However, the actual printing is done by the Canadian Bank Note Company. They follow strict rules from the Bank of Canada. All the words on Canadian money appear in both of Canada's official languages: English and French.

For many years, banknotes were printed on paper made from pure cotton. But starting in 2011, Canada switched to a special plastic material called polymer. The last paper banknotes were made available in November 2013.

Keeping Money Safe: Stopping Fake Bills

The Bank of Canada works hard to stop counterfeiting, which is making fake money. These efforts have greatly reduced the number of fake notes in circulation. The number of fake notes found each year in Canada was highest in 2004. Since then, it has gone down a lot.

The newer Frontier series polymer banknotes are much harder to copy. This is mainly because they are made of polymer plastic instead of paper. Even though polymer notes cost a bit more to make, they are much more secure. Older paper banknotes from before 2013 are now considered not safe enough. This is because they don't have modern security features like a metallic stripe. Banks must send these old notes back to the Bank of Canada to be destroyed. However, individuals can still keep them.

Experts measure counterfeiting using "parts per million" (PPM). This means how many fake banknotes are found for every one million real notes. In 1990, Canada's fake money rate was very low, only 4 PPM. But by 2004, it had risen to 470 PPM. This was partly because home computers and printers made it easier to create fake money. After the new polymer notes were introduced, the rate dropped to 28 PPM in 2012. The Bank of Canada aims to keep this number below 30 PPM.

History of Canadian Money

The first paper money in Canada was issued by the British Army between 1813 and 1815. These were emergency notes during the War of 1812. The first banknotes from a bank were issued in 1817 by the Montreal Bank.

Early Banks and Governments

Many banks started issuing their own paper money in the 1800s. Some, like the Bank of Montreal, issued notes for many years. Before 1858, some notes even showed values in both shillings/pounds and dollars. After 1858, only dollar amounts were used.

Before Canada became a country (Confederation), different colonial governments also issued their own dollar notes. The Province of Canada was a big issuer of paper money. After Confederation in 1867, notes from the Province of Canada became Canada's first national currency for a short time.

Government of Canada Notes

In 1870, the first official notes from the Dominion of Canada were issued. These included notes for 25 cents, $1, $2, $500, and $1,000. The 25-cent notes were sometimes called "shinplasters" because they were small. The government stopped issuing these notes in 1935 when the Bank of Canada was created.

Bank of Canada Takes Over

In 1934, the Bank of Canada was founded. It was given the job of managing Canada's money supply. This meant it had the only right to issue banknotes in Canada. On March 11, 1935, the Bank of Canada issued its first series of notes. By 1944, all other banks were no longer allowed to issue their own money. Since then, the Bank of Canada has been the only issuer of Canadian dollar banknotes.

Notes That Are No Longer Used

The 1935 series was the only one to include $25 and $500 notes. These were quickly removed from circulation.

Some important changes in recent years include removing the $1, $2, and $1,000 notes.

• The $1 note was replaced by a coin called the "loonie" in 1987.
• The $2 note was replaced by a coin called the "toonie" in 1996.
• The $1,000 note was removed in 2000. This was done to help stop illegal activities, as these large notes were sometimes used for such purposes.

Bank of Canada Banknote Series (Timeline)

1935 Series

The Bank of Canada was created in 1934. It was given the job of controlling Canada's money. So, on March 11, 1935, the Bank of Canada released its very first series of banknotes.

1937 Series

Just two years later, a second series of notes was made. This was because new laws required the Bank of Canada to print notes in both English and French. Also, King George V had died, so new designs were needed.

1954 Canadian Landscape Series

This was the third series of banknotes. It was designed after Elizabeth II became Queen. Her picture was on all the notes. The designs were very different from the earlier series and showed more Canadian themes. This was the first series to include the Canadian coat of arms.

This series became known as the "Devil's Head" series. This was because the Queen's hair on the notes looked a bit like a grinning demon. Because of this, the designs were changed in 1956.

1969 Scenes of Canada Series

In 1969, the Bank of Canada released a new series because people were worried about fake money.

• The notes had colorful, wavy patterns.
• They showed new Canadian scenes.
• Pictures of former Canadian prime ministers were brought back. These included Laurier, Macdonald, King, and Borden.

This was the last series to have a $1 banknote. The $1 coin, called a "loonie" (because it has a loon bird on it), replaced the $1 bill in 1987.

1986 Birds of Canada Series

In 1986, the Bank of Canada introduced the "Birds of Canada" series. The back of each note showed a Canadian bird with its natural home. The portraits on the front were larger. These notes also had a metallic patch on the higher value notes. This series was the first to have a bar code with the serial number. This helped people with vision problems use a special device to identify the notes.

This was also the last series for the $2 and $1,000 notes. The $2 note was replaced by the "toonie" coin in 1996. The $1,000 note was removed in 2000 to help fight organized crime.

2001 Canadian Journey Series

Starting in 2001, the Bank of Canada released the "Canadian Journey" series. These notes featured images of Canadian history and parts of Canadian literature. New security features were added, like watermarks, holographic images, and a special thread. These features help people spot fake notes. These notes also have raised dots to help people with vision problems know the value of the note.

The literary quotes on the "Canadian Journey" notes are:

• $5: From The Hockey Sweater by Roch Carrier.
• $10: From the poem In Flanders Fields by John McCrae.
• $20: From The Hidden Mountain by Gabrielle Roy.
• $50: From the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• $100: From the poem Jacques Cartier in Toronto by Miriam Waddington.

2011 Frontier Series

In 2011, the Bank of Canada began releasing a new series of polymer banknotes. The $100 note came out in 2011, followed by the $50, $20, $10, and $5 notes by 2013.

These were Canada's first notes made entirely of polymer plastic. They have new security features like a clear maple leaf and a transparent window. The portraits on the front are more centered. The backs of the notes show new cultural and themed images. These polymer notes also have the raised dots to help people with vision problems.

2018 Series

On International Women's Day in 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that an important Canadian woman would be on a new banknote.

On December 8, 2016, it was announced that civil rights activist Viola Desmond would be on the $10 note. She is the first non-royal woman to appear alone on a regular Canadian banknote. This note was released on November 19, 2018.

Starting in 2018, new Canadian banknotes (beginning with the $10 note) were designed to be vertical instead of horizontal.

Special Commemorative Notes

Sometimes, the Bank of Canada issues special notes to celebrate important events.

‡ These notes have been removed from circulation. However, most old Canadian money is still legal tender (can be used as money). But as of January 1, 2021, the $1, $2, $25, $500, and $1,000 bills from all Bank of Canada series are no longer legal tender.

All banknotes from the 1954 series onwards measure about 15.24 cm by 6.985 cm.

Fun Facts About Canadian Banknotes

Many interesting stories and questions have come up about Canadian banknotes over the years. Here are a few:

• Is there an American flag on Canadian money? No, this is a myth. The "Birds of Canada" series notes showed either a Union Flag (an old British flag) or a Canadian Red Ensign (a former Canadian flag) flying over the Parliament Buildings. The Red Ensign, with its different colored corner, might have looked a bit like the American flag from a distance. The current "Canadian Journey" notes don't show any flag.

• Does the flag on the note match the Prime Minister's time in office? This is also a myth. For example, the $10 note with Sir John A. Macdonald showed the Canadian Red Ensign. But that flag wasn't used on government buildings until much later than when he was Prime Minister.

• Is there a mistake in the "In Flanders Fields" poem on the $10 note? Some people thought the poem should say "poppies grow" instead of "poppies blow." However, John McCrae wrote two versions of the poem, and his original manuscript, which is widely used, says "blow."

• Do Canadian bills have a Norway maple leaf instead of a native Canadian maple leaf? This is a common question. The maple leaf designs on the notes are stylized and not meant to be a specific type of maple.

• Does the 2011 $100 bill smell like maple syrup? This was a popular rumor when the polymer notes first came out. However, the Bank of Canada has said that the notes do not have any added scent.

Images for kids

• 

  $1 banknote of the Colonial Bank of Canada issued in 1859

• 

  $1 Dominion of Newfoundland note issued in 1920

• 

  25-cent Dominion of Canada note issued in 1900

• 

  $1 Dominion of Canada note issued in 1898

• 

  $1 Bank of Canada note issued in 1935