Text Messaging in Canada
Country Summary
| Country name | Canada |
| ISO code | CA |
| Region | North America |
| Two Way SMS Support | Supported |
| Dialing code | 1 |
To send and receive SMS in Canada, you need a sender ID, credits and user license. Sender ID for Canada can be long code, short code and toll free number.
Long code and toll free numbers are used for general usecases while short code is used for higher-volume messaging. Please talk to our expert before choosing type of sender ID.
Short Code – Short codes are ideal for marketing messages, any form of bulk messaging, or messages containing URLs. The regulations for US shortcodes will be provided to you once your application is approved.
Long Code & Toll-Free Numbers- These sender IDs are typically used for sending person-to-person communication like appointment reminders, alerts, and announcements. That means you may use it to send messages to customers, employees, and other individuals with an interest in your business.
SMS Pricing
SMS pricing is based on the destination and type of message you’re sending. Text messages are charged 1 credit per segment of 160 characters of outgoing SMS.
Outgoing SMS price per credit- $0.018
Outgoing MMS price per credit- $0.072
Incoming SMS price- Free
Incoming MMS price- Free
1 Long Code price – $2/month (Good for 1 SMS per second)
1 Toll-Free price – $5/month (Good for 3 SMS per second)
1 Dedicated Short Code price- $2000/month (100 SMS per second)
SMS Carrier Fee per outgoing SMS segment – $0.009
Compliance Guidelines
CRM Messaging recommends sending application-to-person (A2P) traffic over shortcodes or verified toll-free numbers for optimal delivery results. Canadian mobile carriers enforce strict filtering on A2P messages. Carriers will not cease filtering, but mobile subscribers may wish to reach out to their mobile carrier to petition them to do so.
CRM Messaging strongly encourages customers to review proposed use cases with qualified legal counsel to make sure that they comply with all applicable laws. The following are some general best practices:
- Get opt-in consent from each end-user before sending any communication to them, particularly for marketing or other non-essential communications.
- Only communicate during an end-user’s daytime hours unless it is urgent.
- SMS campaigns should support HELP/STOP messages, and similar messages, in the end-user’s local language.
- Do not contact end-users on do-not-call or do-not-disturb registries.
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