Have you ever noticed how Canadian dollar bills seem to stand up to the daily wear and tear of being crammed into wallets, tossed into pockets and passed from person to person? It’s no accident that Canada’s bank notes have a reputation for being tough. The Bank of Canada designs and produces all the country’s bills using polymer — a smooth and durable plastic film made specifically for bank notes.
Polymer gives Canadian currency an edge over traditional paper notes. In fact, these plastic-based bills can last up to 2.5 times longer than older paper ones. That added lifespan means fewer replacements, which reduces costs and helps the environment. Even better, when a bill finally does wear out or gets damaged, it’s returned to the Bank of Canada, where it’s shredded and recycled, keeping waste to a minimum.
Beyond their durability, Canadian bills include cutting-edge security features like holograms and transparent windows. These elements are key to preventing counterfeiting because they’re difficult to reproduce. Having a set of complex features that’s easy to check but hard to copy helps everyone trust that Canadian cash is the real deal.
So, while “indestructible” might be a slight exaggeration, Canada’s polymer notes are undeniably built to last. They’re strong, secure and environmentally conscious—everything you could ask for in a modern bank note.