Internet Speeds in Canada

Internet speeds can vary greatly across Canada, particularly in more remote areas of the country. While residents in well-populated cities may have fast Internet speeds, others could struggle when streaming videos or downloading large files to their computers.

The HP research team took a look at median fixed and mobile Internet speeds around the country to see which provinces and cities fared the best.

Provinces and Territories with the Fastest Internet Speeds

According to speed test data, this is how each province and territory ranks in terms of median fixed Internet download speeds measured in megabits per second (Mbps):

1. Newfoundland and Labrador: 119.77 Mbps
2. New Brunswick: 117.29 Mbps
3. British Columbia: 110.45 Mbps
4. Nova Scotia: 105.04 Mbps
5. Alberta: 91.81 Mbps
6. Ontario: 84.42 Mbps
7. Québec: 69.51 Mbps
8. Manitoba: 66.90 Mbps
9. Saskatchewan: 58.54 Mbps
10. Prince Edward Island: 53.08 Mbps
11. Northwest Territories: 47.81 Mbps
12. Yukon Territory: 42.02 Mbps
13. Nunavut: 15.00 Mbps

Newfoundland and Labrador top the list as the province with the fastest Internet in Canada with a median download speed of 119.77 Mbps. Coming in last on the list is Nunavut at 15.00 Mpbs. While the area is the fifth-largest country subdivision in the world, it is also Canada’s least populous. There are fewer than 40,000 residents occupying the 1.8 million square kilometers of land.

Fastest Internet Speeds in Canadian Cities

Here are how the median Internet download speeds for some of Canada’s most populous cities rank:

1. Calgary: 129.60 Mbps
2. Edmonton: 120.36 Mbps
3. Halifax: 118.78 Mbps
4. Vancouver: 99.89 Mbps
5. London: 99.15 Mbps
6. Toronto: 98.54 Mbps
7. Québec City: 94.40 Mbps
8. Winnipeg: 93.25 Mbps
9. Ottawa: 88.66 Mbps
10. Montreal: 64.81 Mbps

Calgary tops the list of cities with the fastest Internet in Canada at 129.60 Mbps, ahead of more populous cities like Toronto and Montreal. Internet speeds in those areas are typically below 100 Mbps. The fastest provider in Calgary, according to SpeedTest.net, is Shaw, with a median download speed of 191.79 Mbps. It is one of most popular of Canada’s Internet providers as it’s the fastest provider in four of the top 10 cities.

Fastest Mobile Internet Speeds in Canada

According to the data, this is how mobile Internet speeds rank in some of the largest Canadian cities:

1. Winnipeg: 93.12 Mbps
2. Edmonton: 91.25 Mbps
3. Calgary: 90.21 Mbps
4. Halifax: 86.53 Mbps
5. London: 86.24 Mbps
6. Vancouver: 85.83 Mbps
7. Toronto: 84.61 Mbps
8. Montreal: 75.20 Mbps
9. Québec City: 74.59 Mbps
10. Ottawa: 68.34 Mbps

Winnipeg has the fastest median mobile download speed among Canada’s most populous cities at 93.12 Mbps. The fastest provider in the city is TELUS, providing a median download speed of 127.79 Mbps.

What is Considered Fast Internet?

Internet speeds will vary based on location, service provider, and how many devices are currently utilizing it. Typically, a download speed of 25 Mbps is considered good enough to easily stream video on a desktop, laptop, or mobile device. If there are multiple devices streaming or downloading data at once, a download speed of 100 Mbps is typically needed.