How to ship a package in Canada

Pack and measure the box, pick a carrier and speed, print the label and drop it off. Each step for parcels shipped within Canada.

Updated October 14, 2026

Short answer. Pack the item in a rigid box with at least 5 cm of cushioning on every side, then measure and weigh the closed box. Compare carriers for that size and route, buy the label and tape it flat on top. Drop the parcel off or book a pickup, and keep the tracking number until it’s delivered.

1. Pack it in a rigid box

Parcels ride through sorting machines and get stacked in trucks, so the box has to hold its shape under the weight of others. UPS asks for a rigid box with its flaps attached, used within the weight limit printed on its bottom flap.

Wrap each item separately and fill every gap so nothing can shift. Canada Post asks for cushioning on the top, bottom and all sides of anything fragile.
Leave at least 5 cm (2 in) of cushioning between the contents and the box, as UPS recommends.
For fragile goods, use two boxes: an outer box about 15 cm (6 in) bigger each way, with 7.6 cm (3 in) of cushioning around the inner one.
Seal every seam with packing tape. UPS rules out masking, cellophane and duct tape, string and paper over-wrap.
Remove or cover old labels and barcodes, and put a slip with both addresses inside.

Packing matters for claims too. Canada Post won’t pay claims on parcels packed outside its guidelines, and Purolator carries goods that aren’t packed to its policy at the shipper’s risk.

2. Measure and weigh the packed box

Measure the outside of the closed box. The longest side is the length; the other two are the width and height. Round each one up to the next whole inch, as UPS, FedEx and Purolator do, then weigh the box. How to measure a package shows each step with an example.

Carriers bill whichever is higher: the actual weight, or the box’s size turned into a weight. That dimensional weight is length × width × height divided by the carrier’s divisor: 166 for Canada Post Regular Parcel, 139 for most ground services, and 115 for UPS air services and Purolator Express. A big, light box can bill at several times what it weighs. Work out a box’s billable weight at every carrier

Each carrier also has a ceiling. Length plus girth means the longest side plus twice each of the other two.

Carrier	Heaviest	Longest side	Length + girth
Canada Post	66 lb (30 kg)	78 in (2 m)	118 in (3 m)
Purolator	70 lb	108 in, Express 96 in	165 in, Express 144 in
UPS	150 lb	108 in	165 in
FedEx	150 lb, Ground 70 lb to the territories	108 in	Ground 165 in, Express 130 in
UniUni	Not published. A quote checks each parcel with UniUni.

Published limits for the services ProtonShip sells. Purolator takes pieces over 70 lb only through its Heavyweight service, which ProtonShip doesn't sell.

3. Pick a carrier and a speed

Ground and economy services take anything from a day nearby to a week or more across the country. Express and overnight services cut that to one or two business days on most routes, for more money. Pick the slowest speed that still arrives in time.

Beyond price and speed, check what the parcel needs:

A PO box address. Canada Post is the only one of the five carriers that delivers to PO boxes.
A rural route address. UPS and FedEx take one when the recipient’s phone number is on the label.
Weekend delivery. Some carriers deliver on Saturdays in parts of some cities. Weekend delivery by carrier
What’s inside. Each carrier keeps its own list of prohibited and restricted goods. Check what each carrier restricts

4. Buy and print the label

Enter both addresses, the box size and the weight exactly as measured. A carrier that measures the parcel differently bills the difference later, so accurate numbers now save an adjustment.

Print the label at actual size, never “fit to page”, and tape it flat on the largest side, clear of seams and edges. Each parcel gets its own label. How to print shipping labels

With ProtonShip, the quoted price includes fuel and the carrier surcharges known when you book. If a carrier later re-measures the parcel, you see its figures before anything is charged. How adjustments work

5. Drop it off or book a pickup

Every carrier has drop-off counters: Canada Post at post offices, Purolator at its Shipping Centres, UPS at The UPS Store and UPS Access Point locations, FedEx at its own and partner locations, and UniUni at its listed drop-off points. At Canada Post, a parcel dropped off on a weekend counts as mailed on the next business day.

A pickup saves the trip. Canada Post, UPS and FedEx each publish a fee for an on-demand pickup, so a counter is usually cheaper for one or two parcels.

6. Track it until it arrives

Keep the tracking number and share it with the recipient. Delivery times are counted in business days from the day the carrier has the parcel, leaving out weekends and statutory holidays. Add a signature option for anything the recipient must receive in person.

If something goes wrong

Report loss or damage quickly. Each carrier sets its own claim deadline, some as short as 15 days, so keep the box and packing until the claim is settled. With ProtonShip, you file from the shipment in your account, and we submit the claim and follow it up. Claim deadlines for every carrier

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Guides for awkward items

Want to spend less? Read the cheapest way to ship a package in Canada and what each box size bills at.

Sources, checked October 11, 2026

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