How to Address Mail to Canada

International mail delivery is slightly complex, but in the case of mail delivery to Canada, it only requires the right address format. When sending a personal letter, the documents concerning your business, or shipping the package, the proper Canadian mailing format can ensure that these items are received properly, at the correct time, and without errors. 

Canada Post has automated sorting machines to receive the mail, and any small error can lead to delays. This guide will help you how to address mail to Canada step by step with examples and helpful tips to ensure that your mail is delivered correctly.

How Do You Address Mail to Canada?

In order to deliver the mail to Canada, one will have to complete the name of the recipient of the mail, the street name with number of the unit, the name of the city, the initials of the province, the postal code, then the name of the country, which must be written in the last line and this is marked as CANADA. When sending mail outside Canada, clearly write the return address in the top-left corner using capital letters with no punctuation.

Steps to Address Mail to Canada

 The Process to deal with mail to Canada includes the following steps: 

1. Write the complete name of the recipient
2. Includes apartment or unit number and street address 
3. Add city, province, and postal code
4.  Write CANADA on the bottom line
5.  Put in your own return address
6.  The envelopes and postcards should be in proper format 

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The detail of every step is given below: 

1. Write the Full Name of the Recipient 

Begin by putting the full legal name of the recipient, who is the person or business to whom you are mailing. To enhance the readability of both machines and humans when handling mail, Canada Post advises that one should write in capital letters. 

Address people with formal titles like Mr., Ms., or Dr. It is advisable not to apply nicknames or short names because they may complicate the delivery. In case of business mail, you can always have the company name written above the name of the individual so that it reaches the appropriate department or individual. 

Example:

Mr. JOHN WILLIAMS

MS SARAH LANE 

KELLER FREEMAN  

2. Attach Apartment or Unit Number and Street Address 

The second line of the address must have the apartment, street, or unit numbers. Then the hyphen between them, followed by the street number, and the street name. This is the standardized form that is popular all over Canada. Never write commas, periods, etc. 

In the case of a commercial building, put the department number or suite number, and then mention the street name. Furthermore, use correct street names, i.e., ST ( Street ), AVE ( Avenue ), or BLVD ( Boulevard ).

Example:

2-456 PINE ST N 

SUITE 410-123 BAY ST 

3. Enter Province, City, and Postal Code 

Write the name of the city, the two-character code of the province or territory, and the postal code on the following line. Two spaces must be used between the province code and the postal code. Verifying the postal code is also very important, and make sure that you get the correct postal code, otherwise, your mail can be late and may not go to the right place. 

It is simple to check it through the Canada Post Postal Code Lookup Tool. The Canadian postal codes are like this A1A 1A1 (letter-number-letter space number-letter-number), hence there are no hyphens or additional symbols found. 

Example:

TORONTO ON M1R 0E9 

VANCOUVER BC V5K 0A1 

4. Write the Word CANADA on the Last Line 

When you are mailing to another country, you must write the destination country in the last line in capital letters. This will guarantee that your mail is not delivered to Canada through the wrong international postal services. Nonetheless, when making a delivery in Canada, you can skip this line.

 Example:

CANADA

5. Write in Your Return Address 

It is good to add a return address in case your mail is not delivered. The return address should be at the upper left-hand corner of the envelope in the form of your country.  When sending an international mail, e.g., in the United States, you will have to put capital letters, and you will not be able to put punctuation as shown in the address of the recipient. Add the name of the country after the address to eliminate confusion in international mailing.

Example:

JANE SMITH 

789 ELM ST UNIT 5A 

CHICAGO IL 60614

 USA 

Also, make sure that a return address is clearly labelled and in the same format, to enable a speedy return.

6. Envelopes and Postcards Format Guidelines 

For Envelopes

• Write the address of the recipient in the lower center of the envelope. 
• The top-left corner is the place you put your return address. 
• The postage must be placed on the upper right side. 
• On the front, add the words “AIRMAIL / PAR AVION,”  especially when using First-Class International Mail. 

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For Postcards 

• Write the address of the recipient on the right-hand side. 
• You should write your message on the left-hand side. 
• Add the postage mark in the upper-right. 
• Also, put in “AIRMAIL / PAR AVION” in case the mail has to be delivered internationally.

Example of a Correctly Formatted Address to Canada

KELLER FREEMAN  

358 INDUSTRY DRIVE  

TORONTO ON  M4C 1V7  

CANADA

A Sample Return Address in the US 

JANE SMITH  

789 ELM ST APT 5A  

CHICAGO IL 60614  

USA

Address Format For a Business

CANADA TECH INC.  

ATTN: JANE DOE  

UNIT 18 400 BAY ST  

OTTAWA ON K1R 7Y2  

CANADA

Useful Tips for Proper Mail Delivery

• It is advisable to always write the complete address using a black or blue pen or permanent marker, and always in capital letters to avoid common mistakes and wastage of time.
• Do not use commas, periods, or other symbols. 
• Check out the postcode again and ensure that it is readable and well-composed. 
• The names of provinces should be spelled correctly (ON is Ontario, QC is Quebec, BC is British Columbia, etc.) 
• In case of a P.O. box, you have to write P.O. BOX followed by the box number instead of an address. 
• If you write in other languages like Arabic or Chinese, you still have to write in English at the bottom or even at the side of each line. 
• You can also include confidentiality or urgency notes on the envelope, however, this should be on top of the recipient field and not within the address block.
• To estimate postage, follow the Canada Post Rate Calculator, because its price is determined by size, weight, and destination of mailed items. 

Conclusion 

In Canada, properly addressing the mail is just a matter of adhering to a structured format that is clear and with no punctuation marks and upper capital letters. When you are mailing across the border or to another continent, then these simple steps will allow your letter or parcel to get through without any trouble. 

In case of sending mail overseas, do not forget to review the postal code, official names, and the desired country. Such minor details are a huge factor in international mailing.

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