Black Friday 2026 in Canada: Friday, November 27, 2026

Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates

Black Friday is the day after American Thanksgiving, which is the fourth Thursday of November. That is why it lands between November 23 and 29 and has nothing to do with Canadian Thanksgiving in October. Canadian retailers adopted it to keep shoppers from heading south of the border; many now run "Black Friday week" sales that start several days earlier, and Cyber Monday deals often continue through the following week.

Is Black Friday a holiday in Canada?

No. Black Friday is not a statutory holiday in any province or territory, so there is no holiday pay, schools and government offices are open, banks process payments normally and mail is delivered. Retailers often extend their hours, and some open early, but that is a business decision. Employees working extra hours are paid under the usual overtime rules of their province.

The next actual holidays are Christmas Day and Boxing Day. See statutory holidays in Canada for the full list.

Is it really a sale? The rules on "was" prices

A price tag such as "Was $100, now $50" is a claim about the regular price, and the federal Competition Act regulates it. Under section 74.01, a business may compare its sale price with its own "ordinary" price only if it meets one of two tests:

• Volume test: a substantial volume of the product was sold at that price or higher within a reasonable period. The Competition Bureau explains this as more than 50% of sales, usually within a year.
• Time test: the product was offered in good faith at that price or higher for a substantial period of time, again usually within a year, before or after the claim.

In its November 2025 Black Friday reminder to businesses, the Bureau gave a simple example: advertising an item as "$100, now $50" is misleading if the item never actually sold at $100. The same law covers comparisons with other stores' prices ("compare at").

Hidden fees and fake countdowns

Since the drip-pricing amendment to the Competition Act, showing a price that cannot be paid because of mandatory extra fees is a false or misleading representation. Only charges imposed by law, such as sales tax, may be added on top. The Bureau says you should not have to scroll or read fine print to find the total. It also treats countdown timers that reset or expire without the price changing as a deceptive "fake urgency" cue.

If you see a fake sale, you can report it to the Competition Bureau. Keep screenshots showing the price and the date.

Returns and exchanges

This is the most common surprise: Canadian law does not give you a general right to return something just because you changed your mind. The federal Office of Consumer Affairs states that businesses do not have to accept returns unless the item is defective, and Ontario's Consumer Protection Act gives no general right to return or exchange goods.

• Return and exchange policies are set by each store. Many shorten them or exclude "final sale" items during Black Friday. Read the policy before buying and keep the receipt.
• If a store has a policy, it should honour it. In Quebec, the Office de la protection du consommateur says a merchant is not required to have a refund policy, but must respect the one it has.
• For defective products, you have more rights. In Quebec, a legal warranty applies automatically and free of charge: goods must be fit for their purpose and last a reasonable time given their price and use.

Holiday gifts: many retailers extend return windows for purchases made in November, but some count from the purchase date, not from Christmas. Ask for a gift receipt.

Online orders: delivery and cancellation

Provinces regulate online purchases. In Ontario, for example:

• for an online purchase over $50, the business must give you a copy of the contract, within 15 days;
• if the goods are not delivered within 30 days of the delivery date in the contract, you can cancel and ask for a refund;
• after a valid cancellation, the business generally has 15 days to refund you.

Other provinces have comparable rules, with different details. If a seller does not refund you, contact your provincial consumer protection office and your credit card issuer, who can explain whether a charge reversal is possible.

Gift cards

Gift cards are a popular Black Friday bonus ("spend $100, get a $20 card"). In Ontario, most retail gift cards cannot have an expiry date or activation, service or dormancy fees; exceptions include cards for a single specific service, charitable cards, loyalty and promotional cards and prepaid credit cards. In Quebec, merchants have not been allowed to put an expiry date on cards usable like cash since June 30, 2010. Most other provinces also restrict expiry dates and fees, but the rules vary. A free bonus card handed out in a promotion is often treated differently from a card you paid for, so check its expiry date.

Buying from the United States

Many Canadians order from American websites on Black Friday. Before you check out, factor in what happens at the border:

Goods must be of US or Mexican origin to benefit from duty-free treatment under CUSMA, and couriers usually charge a brokerage fee on top. Items sent by mail are only free of duty and tax up to C$20.

Since September 8, 2026, the United States Surtax Order (2026) adds a surtax of 15%, 25% or 50% on certain goods that originate in the US, and the CBSA says it applies even to shipments under the low-value thresholds above. It depends on where the product was made, not where you bought it. Check the CBSA's notice before ordering larger items.

If you shop in person in the US, your personal exemption as a returning resident is C$200 after 24 hours away and C$800 after 48 hours. There is no exemption for a same-day trip.

Practical tips

• Track prices for a few weeks before. It is the easiest way to spot an inflated "regular" price.
• Compare the final total, with shipping, fees and tax, not the headline price.
• Pay by credit card for large online orders; card issuers have dispute processes.
• Save confirmation emails and screenshots until the return period ends.
• Watch for scam sites. Very deep discounts on a site you have never heard of, or a request to pay by e-Transfer or gift card, are warning signs.