SWIFT/BIC codes in Canada: banks starting with C

SWIFT/BIC codes in Canada

For Canada our database holds 613 SWIFT/BIC codes. A BIC tells every bank in the chain exactly which bank should receive the money.

Every bank has its own page showing its main code and if there are any, branch codes. Below the list you can read how codes from Canada are built, how to send money there without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

Incoming international payments in Canada

For an international payment into a Canada account, the person paying you has to have not just the SWIFT code. That means: your name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and sometimes your postal address.

Look up your bank in the list above to check its code, but take the code from your own bank details when in doubt. Some banks may also want the name and address of your bank.

The amount you receive is often less than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee and your own bank may charge for processing, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. For business payments, agree how the fees are split to avoid a shortfall.

About our data and how to check a code

The safest source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details – an invoice, a statement or a screenshot from online banking. An incorrect BIC can cause delays, a payment being sent back or additional charges – compare it with the code in our list.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes using publicly available data and check them from time to time. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes. For any payment of any size, confirm the code with the recipient. We are a comparison service for money transfers and not part of any bank listed here.

Watch out for payment requests with a new account. A valid BIC tells you nothing about who owns the account: criminals use real codes too.

Banks in Canada beginning with the letter :letter

This page shows only banks in Canada whose name starts with :letter. The figures for Canada mentioned here cover every bank we list, not just the ones under :letter.

Many institutions appear under their legal name rather than the name on their app or website, so the letter can differ from what you expect. The complete list is available if you cannot find the bank here.

Why a transfer to Canada needs a SWIFT code

Since Canada is outside SEPA, an international payment is usually sent as a SWIFT payment. This means you always need the BIC of the receiving bank in addition to the account details.

In some countries, accounts are identified by a local account number rather than an IBAN and sometimes a local routing or branch code. The recipient’s bank usually provides instructions for incoming international payments – follow them exactly. International transfers can pass through one or more intermediary banks, each of which may deduct a fee.

The structure of a Canada SWIFT/BIC code

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long and follows a fixed pattern. The first four letters stand for the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

For banks in Canada, letters five and six show the ISO country code of Canada, which makes these codes easy to recognise. When the country letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank in another country – worth double-checking.

The last three characters, if present, identify a branch or department; XXX means the head office. For most transfers the head office code is what you need, unless the recipient gives you a branch code.

Most SWIFT codes in Canada: Ss and C Technologies Canada Corp

Ss and C Technologies Canada Corp tops the list for Canada in the number of SWIFT/BIC codes. Its head office code is FMCCCATMXXX, which is the code to use when no branch is specified.

The number of codes says something about how it registers branches and services than about its size. Paying someone at Ss and C Technologies Canada Corp? Use FMCCCATMXXX unless a specific branch code is requested.

Paying in CAD: what conversion costs you

Most accounts in Canada are typically held in CAD – the Canadian Dollar. A payment in a foreign currency will be converted into CAD, and whoever converts it chooses the rate.

Who does the conversion affects how much arrives. In many cases it is cheaper if you send CAD directly via a provider with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. Rates for CAD change all the time, so a quote is usually valid only briefly.

Sending money to Canada for less

What you pay for a transfer to Canada is made up of more than one component – not only the fee you see. You pay the transfer fee, sometimes fees from correspondent banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate: banks convert at a rate with a margin built in. A simple test: put the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For many currency pairs, a specialist provider turns out to be less expensive than a traditional bank transfer. GoldexPay lists these providers side by side, showing the amount that reaches the recipient before you commit.

Tracking a payment to Canada

There is no single delivery time for transfers to Canada: some land the same day or the next, others take several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before a weekend or public holiday often start the next business day.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi for faster and traceable payments. Each payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Money transfer services often provide tracking in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.