Cheapest Internet in Canada by Province (October 2026)

Prices checked September 30, 2026

Canadians pay some of the highest internet prices in the developed world, but the gap between the worst and best deal in the same city is often $40 a month or more. That is close to $500 a year for the same connection coming out of the same wall.

This guide lists the cheapest home internet plans we could confirm in every province and territory. We looked at the big telcos, their discount brands and the independent providers that rent the same lines. Pick your province below, then use the calculator to see what a promo actually costs once it ends.

Find the cheapest internet in your province

Tap your province. Each card shows the cheapest plan, the best value around 100 Mbps, the cheapest gigabit option and a big-telco price for comparison. Prices are monthly, before tax, and depend on your exact address.

The national leaderboard: cheapest plans by speed

These are the lowest monthly prices we found for unlimited home internet, grouped by speed. All are before tax.

The promo trap: what you really pay over two years

Big-telco prices are usually promotional. They look close to the independents in month one, then climb when the credit runs out. A fair comparison uses the total over 24 months, including one-time fees.

Sale prices at independents can also change for new customers. Wakey and Purple Cow both say they do not raise prices on existing customers after an intro period.

How much speed do you actually need?

Most households overpay for speed they never use. A 4K stream uses about 25 Mbps. A video call uses 2 to 4 Mbps each way. Unless several people do heavy things at once, 100 to 300 Mbps is plenty.

Why prices differ so much between provinces

In most of Canada, one phone company owns the fibre or DSL lines and one cable company owns the coax. Independents such as TekSavvy, Oxio and Wakey rent access to those networks at rates set by the CRTC, then resell service.

That explains most of the map. Where cable wholesale rates are low, independents can undercut the big brands by $20 to $40. Where there is no cable competitor or few independents, as in New Brunswick and the North, prices stay high.

Fibre is the harder case. On April 24, 2026 the CRTC finalized wholesale rates for fibre-to-the-home access. Bell’s Ontario and Quebec fibre access now costs resellers $68.26 a month for speeds up to 1.5 Gbps. That is before the reseller adds its own costs, which is why independent fibre plans rarely beat the big telcos on price. Independent providers held just 4.2% of customers in 2024, about half their 2020 share.

The other pattern is the discount brand. Fizz belongs to Vidéotron, Freedom to Quebecor, and Koodo to Telus. They use the parent network and trade in-person service for lower prices.

Seven costs that are not in the headline price

1. Installation. Bell MTS charges $60, Xplore $99. Many independents charge nothing or waive it on sale.
2. Shipping and setup. Purple Cow charges a one-time $55 for shipping and provisioning.
3. Activation. Wakey’s $49 activation is waived on its current sale, but can be clawed back if you cancel within 180 days.
4. Deposits. Wakey Pure Fibre needs a $120 refundable deposit.
5. Extra Wi-Fi points. Freedom includes one eero router. Each extra one is $5 a month.
6. Bundle conditions. Freedom’s $39 price needs an active Freedom mobile plan. Big-telco prices often assume autopay (Rogers lists a $5 autopay discount) or a mobile bundle.
7. Tax. GST or HST adds 5% in Alberta and the territories and up to 15% in the Atlantic provinces.

How to get a lower price from your current provider

1. Price your own address at two independents and one competing big telco. Screenshot the offers.
2. Check when your current promo ends. The best time to call is the month before.
3. Ask for the loyalty or retention department. Front-line agents usually cannot match offers.
4. Say you plan to switch and name the exact price. Be polite and specific.
5. Get the new price, term length and post-promo price in writing by email or in your account.
6. If they will not move, switch. Setup with most independents takes a few days.

Rural and remote options

• Xplore sells fibre and wireless plans in rural parts of every province except BC. Fibre plans run from $59.99 (100 Mbps) to $89.99 (1 Gbps) in year one, usually $20 to $30 more in year two.
• Bell Wireless Home Internet uses the cell network in areas without wired service. Plans start around $56 with a credit.
• Starlink works almost anywhere. Residential Lite is about $80 a month in Canada, with unlimited data and lower priority at busy times. Hardware is extra.

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest internet in Canada right now?

The lowest price we found is Oxio’s 15 Mbps plan at $25 a month in parts of Ontario. For a plan most families can live with, Freedom Home Internet at $39 for the first year and Fizz 100 at $45 in Quebec are the cheapest options near 100 Mbps.

Which province has the cheapest internet?

Quebec and Ontario have the lowest prices because they have the most competition. Fizz offers 500 Mbps for $55 in Quebec, and Ontario has the widest range of independents. The Atlantic provinces and the territories pay the most.

Are independent internet providers slower than Bell or Rogers?

They use the same physical lines, so peak speeds are similar. Performance can differ at busy times depending on how much capacity the independent buys. Most offer no-contract plans, so it is low-risk to test one.

Why does my internet bill go up after a year?

Most big-telco prices include a promotional credit that lasts 12 or 24 months. When it expires, you pay the regular price, often $20 to $40 more. Call before the promo ends to negotiate, or switch to a provider with a fixed price.

Is Starlink cheaper than cable internet?

Rarely. At about $80 a month plus hardware, Starlink costs more than most wired plans. It makes sense in rural and remote areas where wired options are slow or unavailable.

Can I get internet for $20 a month in Canada?

Yes, if you receive the maximum Canada Child Benefit or the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement. The Connecting Families Initiative offers 50/10 Mbps internet for $20 a month to eligible households.

How we checked: Prices come from provider websites and recent independent reviews, checked on September 30, 2026. Internet prices depend on your exact address, change often and exclude tax. Always confirm on the provider’s site before you sign up. No provider paid to be included in this guide.