If you’re trying to Buy Canadian, and love to travel, how can you support Canadian travel companies?
Like many Canadians, I’m concerned about the looming trade war with US, not thrilled (to put it mildly) by the foreign policies of the new American government and have been dealing with that by spending more of my money on Made in Canada products. But what about Canadian travel companies?
There are many ways for Canadian travellers to support local.
First off, you can plan a trip within the country. Even if you have plans for international travel, you can still choose Canadian-owned travel businesses.
I created this list of Canadian travel companies to help all of us find options that will make us feel good. Whatever kind of traveller you are, I hope you’ll find just the right Canadian-owned company to make your bucket list trip come true.
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Unique Canadian Travel Operators for travel in Canada
Travel Internationally with a Canadian company
Canadian-owned travel apps and book publishers
Canadian Owned Airlines
Airlines are the easiest way to Buy Canadian for travellers – Canadian law mandates a majority of voting interests in the airline must be held by Canadian citizens or entities. So all of these companies are Canadian-owned. By choosing a Canadian airline, whether you’re flying in Canada or beyond, you are also supporting the employees in the air and on the ground.
Air Canada is Canada’s largest airline and has the most flights not just within Canada but from major cities all across Canada to the world. I fly Air Canada all the time because I like their Aeroplan point programme where I often score busines class flights and find they have competitive prices with the most flexible schedules. They are a member of Star Alliance and a solid choice for flying to Europe or Asia from Canada. Headquarters in Montreal.
Porter Airlines is a very popular choice for people in Toronto because it flies out of the smaller Billy Bishop airport downtown for short flights — I love it for getting to Chicago or Montreal easily. It’s also great for anything East Coast –Quebec City, Newfoundland and the Atlantic provinces. Porter does fly out west, and to American cities in Florida, Las Vegas, New York. The airline boasts “no middle seats” on its planes. Headquarters in Toronto.
Westjet is the second largest Canadian airline and a great choice if you’re flying to/from Alberta and BC. It serves 39 cities across Canada, and flies Canadians to more than 28 countries. It claims the most Canadian flights to Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Orlando and Las Vegas, and has a new flight from Calgary to Japan. Headquarters in Calgary.
Air Transat is a charter airline that flies to 25 countries, mostly vacation destinations for Canadians like the Caribbean, Mexico and Florida. They often have cheaper fares to Europe (Italy, Greece, Portugal, France) in high season than AC so definitely check them for that. In Canada, they fly to/from Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Calgary, and Vancouver. Read about my experience with their premium service Option Plus here. Headquarters in Montreal.
Sunwing is a budget, vacation-package airline owned by Westjet. Most people use it for all-inclusive getaways but you can book just a flight from many Canadian cities including smaller places like Thunder Bay and Gander direct to Caribbean beaches in hot spots like Freeport, Montego Bay, Varadero, Roatan, etc.
Flair is Canada’s ultra-low-budget airline and – disclaimer! – has been in trouble with the government over just how Canadian its ownership is. But if you want the lowest price with no frills, Flair will get you to/from most major Canadian cities, and some smaller cities like Kitchener and Kelowna. Check them out for deals on Toronto-Nashville and Vancouver-Guanajuato, too. Headquarters in Edmonton.
PAL Airlines is for East Coast travel. The regional airline flies to/from Montreal, Quebec City, Moncton, St. John’s to smaller cities in Northern Quebec and Newfoundland like Churchill Falls, Goose Bay and Sept-Isles.
Smaller regional airlines serve destinations in the North. If you’re looking for an adventure in the Yukon, Northwest Territories or Nunavut, check out: Air Inuit, Air North, and Canadian North—a wholly Inuit-owned operation.
Canadian Train Companies
Canada is big. Train travel is a romantic way to cross it, through the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. Make your Bucket List Canadian train trips come true with these Canadian-owned train companies.
Rocky Mountaineer is luxury train travel from an independent, Canadian family-owned business. It’s not cheap—you’re getting fine dining and world-class service—but there’s no better way to see the Rocky Mountains than one of their all-inclusive journeys. Note, these are not sleeper cars, you’re in hotels along the way, which may or may not be Canadian owned. Also operates a US trip, “Rockies to the Red Rocks” from to Denver, Colorado to Moab, Utah.
Via Rail is a Crown Corp—owned by the government. This is both good (your money stays in Canada) and not great (service is not always the best). They are famous for scenic trips on The Canadian train, with its glass dome windows and cozy sleeper cars. This is a fantastic way to comfortably cross the whole country or visit places like Churchill Manitoba (Northern Lights! Polar bears!) or Prince Rupert, BC (Whale watching!). Via is also a great option for travel between major cities in Canada if you don’t want to fly or drive a car. Toronto to Montreal, Montreal to Halifax, Winnipeg to Edmonton—when you don’t need to get there fast, you do want to work while you travel or just relax, take the train. For the best prices on short trips, buy your tickets far in advance. But you can often score a deal on sleeper trains at the last minute.
Ontario Northland Board the Polar Bear Express for a five-hour train ride from Cochrane to Moosonee in Northern Ontario. Also stops at smaller communities along the way. Popular for fishing, hunting and camping excursions, and quite affordable.
Go Transit is the Greater Toronto Area commuter rail system, owned by the Ontario government. It’s the cheapest and easiest way to get from Toronto to Niagara Falls.
Buses? To my knowledge, none of the remaining bus companies operating here are Canadian travel companies.
Canadian Parks and Camping
Parks Canada is run by the federal government. It manages 48 parks across the country, including the most iconic places to hike and camp in Canada like: Banff, Kootenay, Gros Morne, Bay of Fundy, Cape Breton Highlands. If you’re able and enjoy it, backcountry camping (where you have to hike or canoe to your site) is a quintessential Canadian travel experience. There are also sites for cars and RVs, of course.
No tent? Many Parks Canada parks now offer what they call “roofed accommodation”—cabins, yurts and other simple structures that make it easy to get out and enjoy the best of Canadian nature. Disclaimer: scoring a summer weekend reservation has become the Hunger Games post-Covid, so good luck!
Provincial and Territorial Parks campgrounds have even more stunning camping options Browse Ontario Parks, Quebec Parks, BC Parks, Newfoundland Parks.
There are thousands of local, independently owned Canadian campgrounds pretty much anywhere you want to go. If you have a favourite, or know of a great chain with multiple locations, please let me know.
Canadian Travel and Tour Operators
Some of my favourite Canadian travel companies that will help organize you a great trip within Canada! A list in progress!
Guess Where Trips. You may have seen them on Dragon’s Den. They create surprise self-guided road trips in Alberta, BC, Nova Scotia and Ontario. You know the general region and theme (“Chasing Waterfalls,” “Brews and Bites,” e.g.) but not the specific locations until you open your envelope. It’s like a treasure hunt and a great gift for the traveller in your life!
Mosaic Earth Tours. Women-owned and operated bespoke small group tours (guided, or self-drive) of wildlife hotspots in Western Canada and the North. Think Aurora Borealis in the Yukon or a drive up BC’s Sunshine Coast with local Indigenous guides.
Canadian Airlines that have vacation package agencies to get you to the beach or an all-inclusive Air Canada Vacations, WestJet and Transat.
Looking for inspiration? I wrote about The Best Music Festivals in Quebec: Your Ultimate Guide to Live Music Events and The Best Music Festivals in Ontario: Mark Your Calendar With Festivals in Every Season!
Canadian Owned Hotel Chains
I’ve said it often and it matters now: when you stay at an Airbnb, your money is going to a US-based company that repeatedly ignores local laws, bullies governments, and has made cities worse around the world. (Read more about why Hotels are Better than Airbnb for Solo Travellers.)
Choose an independently owned local Canadian hotel. Or check out some Canadian-owned hotel chains.
Germain Hotels are beautiful boutique hotels owned by the Germain family out of Quebec. The Toronto Germain on Mercer is one of the city’s nicest hidden gems. The Charlevoix Hotel and Spa is great for your ski holiday.
Alt Hotels are also owned by the Germains, and offer small, design-focused rooms in urban centres and airports in Halifax, Toronto and Ottawa that prioritize sustainable, Canadian-made furniture and products.
Sandman Hotels has more than 60 hotels across Canada, from the budget Sandman Inns (mostly Alberta and BC) to Sandman Hotel & Suites and Sandman Signature Hotels & Resorts.
Rodd Hotels and Resorts is a family-owned business operating hotels and golf courses in PEI, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, including a lovely urban resort on the shore of the Miramichi River.
Sutton Place Hotels, luxury properties in downtown Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver and Revelstoke Mountain are also Canadian-owned.
Canaltahotels is a family-owned chain in Western Canada of budget business hotels in smaller cities and town but also the cozy Canalta Lodge in Banff. (Also in Alberta and Saskatchewan they operate the Ramada Hotels – which are otherwise a US chain.)
Prestige Hotels and Resorts is family-owned chain in BC’s Okanagan Valley and Kootenay Rockies, with hotels and resorts in places built for outdoor adventure like Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm, Nelson Rossland, Cranbrook and Radium Hot Springs, Prince Rupert, and on Vancouver Island in the seaside community of Sooke.
Canad Inns is a Manitoba-based hotel chain operating what they call “destination centres”—with hotels attached to casinos, waterparks and other attractions that appeal to families, sport teams, and business travellers. Find them in Winnipeg, Portage la Prairie and Brandon. They also own Radisson Winnipeg downtown.
Silver Hotel Group is not a chain, but a Canadian hotel management company that owns or operates a variety of unique and quality properties including the Pantages Toronto, The Radisson Blu Toronto Downtown, the Westley in Calgary, Delta Hotel Downtown Vancouver, Aloft Montreal Airport and Valhalla in Thunder Bay.
Indigenous-owned hotels and resorts with high ratings include Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations (Wendake, QC), St. Eugene Resort and Klahoose Wilderness Resort (BC), Manitoulin Hotel & Conference Centre (Ontario) The Lodge at Métis Crossing (AB) Dakota Dunes Resort (Sask), and Wyndham Garden Winnipeg Airport Hotel. Find more Indigenous glamping and lodge accommodations at Destination Indigenous.
Four Seasons, sadly, is not completely Canadian owned anymore. Canadian founder Isadore Sharp is still a shareholder, but so is Bill Gates. Still, these are some of the best hotels in the country, and the world and they were born in Toronto.
Travel Internationally with a Canadian company
Pay a Canadian entrepreneur and their team to help you explore the world!
G Adventures is one of the world’s best known small group tour companies, with over 700 different trips, and it was founded and still based in Canada. Especially popular for 18-34 age group budget travellers—if you want to backpack through Southeast Asia, hike Machu Picchu or island-hop in Greece with other Canadians, they got you. Older travellers should check out their National Geographic or Jane Goodall trips for wildlife and history-focused excursions.
Elder Treks organizes small group exotic adventures for travellers aged 50 and up. From Patagonia to the South Pacific, these are big bucket list excursion for the adventure traveller. Independently owned since 1987 and based in Toronto.
Polar Adventure Co is a Canadian travel company out of Newfoundland that can make your Arctic and Antarctica cruise dreams come true!
Plan a trip with a Canadian-owned travel app or book
Hopper app helps find you flights, hotels and car rentals around the world with a “Cancel for Any Reason” and “Leave for Any Reason” insurance options. Headquarters in Montreal.
Bus Bud is a Montreal-based travel tech company that allows users to search, compared and book bus tickets in more than 80 countries, with particular experience in Latin America.
Travel Guides – because Google and AI don’t know places like local authors. Some Canadian companies that publish travel guides to this country’s great destinations are:
Formac for Best Nova Scotia Beaches, Nova Scotia Bucket List and more from the East Coast.
Firefly Books for the best hikes, canoe routes and other nature travel in Ontario and beyond.
Touchwood publishes literary non-fiction and travel guides from Canadian authors, including great regional food guides.
Whitecaps guides to Canadian food and drink
Macintyre Purcell with their Abandon Alberta series, Bluenosers Book of Slang, Calgary Book of Everything and more.
Did you know a Canadian travel company I should add to this list? Would you like to see Canadian-owned clothing and travel products? Let me know in the comments below!
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