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 regularly among the best credit card offers in Canada. Yet, they carry a reputation for not being accepted by many merchants.

This may have been true a few years ago, but since then, American Express has been steadily 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, you could, for example, use the American Express Cobalt^® Card to earn 5 points per dollar.

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

Drugstores That Accept American Express Cards

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

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

Gas Stations That Accept American Express Cards

The main gas stations that accept American Express credit cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

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

Electronics and Office Supply Stores That Accept American Express

The main electronics and office supply stores that accept American Express credit cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

Hotels That Accept American Express Cards

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

At Marriott hotels, you could, for example, 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 Home Delivery Services That Accept Amex

The main restaurants, cafes or home delivery services that accept American Express credit cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

In these restaurants, cafes 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 that accept American Express credit cards in Canada and/or Quebec are:

At these retailers, you could, for example, use the SimplyCash^® Preferred Card 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.

Check if the merchant 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 on the Rakuten.ca website for stores like Maxi and Provigo that do not accept American Express.

Thus, you can indirectly use your American Express card at these stores using gift cards. However, be aware that your purchase on Rakuten.ca will count at your card’s base rate (and not at the accelerated rate as for a grocery purchase, for example).

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).

Conclusion

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 are the ones that offer the most rewards: changing a few habits could save you a lot of money or even bring you closer to your dream trip!

Frequently Asked Questions About American Express Cards in Canada

Which credit card should you choose in Canada?

The right credit card choice depends on your profile (income, spending, travel goal, cash back, balance transfer). To compare options based on your criteria, use our credit card comparison tool. You can also consult our ranking of the best credit cards of the month, updated monthly by the Milesopedia team. If you are looking for an American Express card, our favorite remains the American Express Cobalt Card, which earns up to 5 points per dollar on restaurants and groceries.