SWIFT/BIC codes in Canada: banks starting with L

Canada: banks and their SWIFT/BIC codes

Here you will find the SWIFT/BIC codes of 395 banks in Canada. Every code points to a bank or a specific branch or department, so a payment from abroad reaches the right place.

Pick the bank from the list to see its head office code and any branch codes. Further down we explain how a code from Canada is put together, how to send money to Canada without overpaying and how to check a code before you pay.

What the letters in a Canada BIC mean

A SWIFT code is either 8 or 11 characters long. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

For banks in Canada, characters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of Canada. If the country letters point to another country, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else.

If the last three are XXX, it refers to the head office and the short version works just as well. Use a branch code just if the recipient’s bank asks for it; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

Sending CAD to Canada

Canada pays in the Canadian Dollar (CAD). Money sent in a different currency is exchanged into CAD.

Which bank converts the money makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Compare what CAD the recipient gets with different providers. Rates for CAD move during the day – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Bank or transfer service for Canada?

The price of a transfer to Canada has several parts – not only the fee you see. There is a transfer fee, possibly fees from correspondent banks and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate when currencies differ.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the largest part of the cost. A simple test: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

For many routes, a transfer service is cheaper than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. Before your next transfer to Canada, it is worth comparing what arrives via GoldexPay instead of going straight to your bank.

Receiving money in Canada from abroad

Someone abroad who wants to pay you needs several details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. In practice that means: your full name as your bank knows it, your IBAN or account number, the BIC of your bank and, often, your postal address.

The code of your bank is in the list on this page. It helps to include the name and city of your bank because some forms have separate fields for it.

Expect that the incoming amount is smaller than the amount on the sender’s receipt. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, and when currencies differ, a markup on the rate applies. For business payments, agree how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

The largest SWIFT network in Canada: Ss and C Technologies Canada Corp

Of all banks we list for Canada, Ss and C Technologies Canada Corp is listed with the largest number of SWIFT codes. Its main office uses FMCCCATMXXX.

Practice differs in whether they register branch codes – a high count is not a measure of size. Paying someone at Ss and C Technologies Canada Corp? Use FMCCCATMXXX except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

When does money sent to Canada arrive?

How fast money arrives in Canada depends on several factors: which currency you send, the number of banks in between, cut-off times and differences in time zone. Payments made late in the day or just before a weekend or public holiday often start a business day later.

When a payment takes longer than expected, the sender should contact the sending bank and ask for the status or the UETR – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Money transfer services usually show a status in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

SWIFT transfers to Canada

Canada is outside the SEPA area. International transfers to Canada usually travel over the SWIFT network.

Depending on the country, the account is identified by a local account number instead of an IBAN, sometimes with an extra bank or branch code. Check with the recipient which details their bank requires for incoming international payments. International transfers can pass through one or more intermediary banks and fees can be taken along the way.

Banks in Canada starting with :letter

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

Bank not listed? The registered name might start with a different letter. Try the full list for Canada when you do not know the exact name.

How reliable is this list?

Ask the recipient to copy the account details straight from a recent statement. When the code you were given differs from our list, do not guess: check with the recipient or the bank.

This list is based on publicly available sources that we update periodically. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or retire codes, so information can be out of date. Treat this list as a reference: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is a comparison service, not a bank.

Watch out for invoices with a new account. A valid BIC says nothing about who owns the account.