Where Are American Express Cards Accepted in Canada and Quebec?

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Where Are American Express Cards Accepted in Canada and Quebec?

In Canada, two institutions issue American Express credit cards:

American Express cards are consistently rated among the best credit card offers in Canada. However, they have a reputation for not being accepted by many stores.

This may have been true a few years ago, but since then American Express has been progressively catching up with its rivals.

In Canada and Quebec, many businesses accept American Express credit cards, including small merchants thanks to the Shop Small initiative. Since 2023, almost all IGA grocery stores accept American Express!

Grocery Stores That Accept American Express Cards

The main grocery and convenience stores that accept American Express credit cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

As of 2023, all IGA grocery stores should accept American Express, as Scotiabank has implemented its Scene+ program with its American Express cards. However, some IGA owners are still reluctant.

In the grocery and convenience stores mentioned above, for example, you could use the American Express Cobalt^® Card to earn 5 points per dollar.

In our experience, only the Thibeault Family Metro Plus stores in the Laurentians refuse American Express cards (Thibeault Family Metro Plus St-Jérôme, St-Antoine, Blainville and Prévost).

Drugstores That Accept American Express Cards

The main drugstores accepting American Express Cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

At these pharmacies, for example, you could use the American Express^® Gold Rewards Card to earn 2 points per dollar.

Gas Stations That Accept American Express Cards

The main gas stations accepting American Express Cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

At these service stations, for example, you could use the Scotiabank Gold American Express^® Card to earn 3 points per dollar.

Electronic and Office Supply Stores That Accept American Express Cards

The major electronics and office supply stores accepting American Express Cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

Hotels That Accept American Express Cards

The main hotels accepting American Express Cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

At Marriott hotels, for example, you could use the Marriott Bonvoy American Express^®* Card to earn 5 points per dollar.

Other Travel Merchants or Places That Accept American Express

The main travel-related businesses that accept American Express credit cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

Restaurants and Food Delivery Services That Accept Amex

The major restaurants, cafés or food delivery services accepting American Express Cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

In these restaurants, cafés and home delivery services you could, for example, use the American Express Cobalt^® Card to earn 5 points per dollar.

Major Retailers That Accept American Express Cards

The main retailers accepting American Express Cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

At these retailers, for example, you could use the SimplyCash™ Preferred from American Express to earn 2% cash back.

American Express and Paypal

When you shop online, American Express is rarely not accepted. However, it can happen.

Find out if the business accepts Paypal! If so, you may be able to use your American Express card via Paypal.

American Express and Gift Cards

You can buy gift cards at Rakuten.ca, for stores like Maxi and Provigo that don’t accept American Express.

You can then use your American Express card indirectly in these shops with gift cards. Please note, however, that your purchase on Rakuten.ca will be charged at your card’s base rate (and not at the multiplied rate used for groceries).

This trick comes in handy when you need to unlock a welcome bonus (such as the American Express Cobalt^® Card ‘s 2,500-point monthly welcome bonus after $500 in purchases).

Bottom Line

As you can see, American Express credit cards are accepted in more places than you might think!

Certainly there are still retailers who do not yet accept American Express credit cards. It will also depend on your location (in remote regions vs in a large city) and your consumption habits.

However, American Express credit cards offer the most rewards: changing a few habits could save you a lot of money and even bring you closer to your dream trip!

Frequently Asked Questions About American Express Cards in Canada

Which credit card maximizes your everyday savings?

For recurring spending (groceries, online purchases, restaurants), a cash back credit card makes a real difference. Use our credit card comparator to filter through 200+ Canadian offers, or browse the best credit cards in Canada, updated monthly by the Milesopedia team. If you are looking for an American Express card, our top pick remains the American Express Cobalt Card, which earns up to 5x points on dining and groceries.