Seasoned Canadian travelers:

I am planning a visit to Vancouver (and ski areas close) around Christmas. The last time
I visited Canada a couple years back, I was able to draw Canadian money from ATM machines at any Canadian bank or credit union without their charging an ATM fee or additional exchange rate charge (of course, my American bank is more than willing to charge a fee on the other end-but that's another matter!!).
Just checking: is it still the case that Canadian banks do not charge an ATM fee for cash withdrawls from their banks even though my bank card is from an non-Canadian bank?


Eager to get up-to-date replies that answer this question and/or provide more helpful information.


Thanks. Z

My experience has been the charge is from my bank, not the bank's ATM that I'm using. Of course, I'm talking about real ATMs at banks, not the ones at convenience stores, etc.

If you happen to bank with HSBC, you can withdraw funds from anywhere in the world and there's no withdrawal fee. The few times there were fees, a quick phone call had them all easily removed. There's lots of HSBC ATMs in Vancouver.

Enjoy-la!

If your bank is on the Interac system, or a similar one, find a Canadian bank that is on the same system and you should be fine. I haven't been to Vancouver in a few years but here in Ontario I find it harder to find an ATM associated with a bank except right at a bank branch. More and more they are the generic kind which do charge a fee, usually $1.50. You should be ok in downtown Vancouver, though. Generally I find Visa is best as they don't have to deal with paper money and therefore give a good exchange rate.

If you go to a proper bank's ATM I don't believe there is a charge.. Just don't use the machines in the convenience stores.

If you have a Bank of America card, you can withdraw money from ScotiaBank with no fees at either end. They have an alliance.

Forgot to thank you helpful people a couple years back. What an ingrate I am. I'm pretty sure I utilized the information you provided- specifically for my girlfriend. Thanks again.

Very good of you to thanks us, even years later. A surprising number of posters don't bother to even acknowledge replies so we are left wondering if it was worth the bother of responding.