<p>The <a href="http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-52/page-1.html" rel="nofollow">Currency Act</a> defines what is meant by <em>legal tender</em> in Canada:</p>

<pre>
Legal tender

8. (1) Subject to this section, a tender of payment of money is a legal tender if it is made
(a) in coins that are current under section 7; and
(b) in notes issued by the Bank of Canada pursuant to the Bank of Canada Act intended for 
circulation in Canada.
</pre>

<p>Since these are the only two forms of payment considered <em>legal tender</em>, and bitcoins are quite clearly neither of these, the conclusion must be that bitcoins are not legal tender in Canada. Note that the Act doesn't explicitly have to name Bitcoin for this conclusion to nevertheless be true.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-03T22:19:23.263Z
2014-02-03T22:19:23.263Z
Greg Hewgill
<p>I've been reading a lot that Canada no longer considers bitcoin legal tender.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Only Canadian bank notes and coins are recognized as legal tender in
  Canada. Bitcoin digital ‘currency’ is not legal tender in Canada,” an
  official from Canada’s finance department said in an emailed
  statement.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It can be read in all of these places:</p>

<ul>
<li><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/canadarealtime/2014/01/16/canada-says-bitcoin-isnt-legal-tender/?KEYWORDS=bitcoin">Canada Real Time</a></li>
<li><a href="http://memeburn.com/2014/01/canada-says-no-to-bitcoin-as-legal-tender/">Memeburn</a></li>
<li><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/tag/bitcoin/">The Wall Street Journal</a></li>
</ul>

<p>among others. However, not a single one that I can find sites the source document. They all just seem to refer to each other. <strong>Does anyone have a copy of the email or government source document stating this?</strong> I'll also accept proof that the document never existed as a valid answer.   </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-03T16:59:03.223Z
The perceived impact of this depends completely on how "legal tender" is defined. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_tender might be useful reading. Note the list of common payment instruments which are *not* usually considered legal tender.
Greg Hewgill
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-03T20:22:49.423Z
The country has come out and said that they don't consider bitcoin legal tender. I'm looking for the source document that actually says that.
Loourr
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-03T23:43:22.863Z
Your "no longer" is misleading. As Greg's answer suggests, Bitcoin was never legal tender. Note that does not mean that it's illegal to use! "Legal tender" has a very specific meaning. What this means is that, for instance, if you owe somebody money and offer to pay them in Bitcoin, they can refuse it and sue you instead. The same is true if you offer to pay them by check, credit card, or in gold; those are not legal tender either.
Nate Eldredge
<legal><canada>
Official Canadian source saying bitcoin is not legal tender?
Loourr
# Official Canadian source saying bitcoin is not legal tender?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-03)

I've been reading a lot that Canada no longer considers bitcoin legal tender.

> "Only Canadian bank notes and coins are recognized as legal tender in
> Canada. Bitcoin digital ‘currency’ is not legal tender in Canada,” an
> official from Canada’s finance department said in an emailed
> statement.

It can be read in all of these places:

* [Canada Real Time](http://blogs.wsj.com/canadarealtime/2014/01/16/canada-says-bitcoin-isnt-legal-tender/?KEYWORDS=bitcoin)
* [Memeburn](http://memeburn.com/2014/01/canada-says-no-to-bitcoin-as-legal-tender/)
* [The Wall Street Journal](http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/tag/bitcoin/)

among others. However, not a single one that I can find sites the source document. They all just seem to refer to each other. **Does anyone have a copy of the email or government source document stating this?** I'll also accept proof that the document never existed as a valid answer.

**Tags:** legal, canada

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The perceived impact of this depends completely on how "legal tender" is defined. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legal_tender might be useful reading. Note the list of common payment instruments which are *not* usually considered legal tender.  
> **username_0**: The country has come out and said that they don't consider bitcoin legal tender. I'm looking for the source document that actually says that.  
> **username_2**: Your "no longer" is misleading. As username_1's answer suggests, Bitcoin was never legal tender. Note that does not mean that it's illegal to use! "Legal tender" has a very specific meaning. What this means is that, for instance, if you owe somebody money and offer to pay them in Bitcoin, they can refuse it and sue you instead. The same is true if you offer to pay them by check, credit card, or in gold; those are not legal tender either.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-02-03. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

The [Currency Act](http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-52/page-1.html) defines what is meant by *legal tender* in Canada:

```

Legal tender

8. (1) Subject to this section, a tender of payment of money is a legal tender if it is made
(a) in coins that are current under section 7; and
(b) in notes issued by the Bank of Canada pursuant to the Bank of Canada Act intended for 
circulation in Canada.

```

Since these are the only two forms of payment considered *legal tender*, and bitcoins are quite clearly neither of these, the conclusion must be that bitcoins are not legal tender in Canada. Note that the Act doesn't explicitly have to name Bitcoin for this conclusion to nevertheless be true.


---

