Gift cards have become an increasingly popular gift-giving option in Canada over the past decade. The convenience and flexibility of gift cards make them a go-to choice for many Canadians looking for an easy gift idea for birthdays, holidays, and other occasions. But where exactly can you buy gift cards in Canada? Let’s take a closer look at the major retailers and options for purchasing both physical and digital gift cards across the country.
Grocery Stores
One of the most popular places to buy physical gift cards in Canada is at grocery stores. Major chains like Loblaws, Sobeys, Metro, and No Frills all have entire sections dedicated to gift card displays. Grocery store gift card selections typically include options from various restaurants, coffee shops, movie theaters, clothing retailers, and more. The convenience of being able to pick up a gift card while doing your regular grocery shopping makes grocers a top destination for gift card purchases.
Some of the most common gift card brands sold at Canadian grocery stores include:
- Starbucks
- Tim Hortons
- Cineplex
- iTunes
- Sport Chek
- Swiss Chalet
- Subway
- Petro Canada
- Home Depot
- Canadian Tire
- Chapters/Indigo
- Nintendo eShop
In addition to standard gift cards, some grocery stores also offer their own co-branded gift cards that can be used at any of that supermarket chain’s banners. For example, Loblaws sells President’s Choice gift cards that are redeemable at any Loblaws, No Frills, Zehrs, Provigo, Fortinos, and other stores owned by the company across Canada.
Drug Stores
Like grocery stores, many drug store chains also offer convenient gift card malls for easy one-stop shopping. Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall are two major national drug store brands where you can pick up a variety of gift cards for different retailers and restaurants. Independent pharmacies may also sell a selection of gift cards near the checkout area.
Some top gift card options commonly available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall include:
- Uber
- Gap
- Recipe Unlimited (Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, etc.)
- MPL
- Bath & Body Works
- Amazon
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Winners
- Old Navy
- Best Buy
Big Box Stores
Major big box retailers like Walmart and Costco usually have entire gift card displays near the front of the store. These mass merchants allow you to conveniently purchase a very wide range of gift cards all in one place. From prepaid Visas to gaming cards to dining and entertainment options, you can find hundreds of different gift cards for sale at Walmart and Costco locations across Canada.
Some of the most popular gift cards typically available at Walmart and Costco include:
- Prepaid Visa & Mastercard
- Xbox
- Playstation
- Nintendo
- Starbucks
- The Keg
- Jugo Juice
- Boston Pizza
- The Gap
- Banana Republic
- Indigo
- Petro-Canada
- Home Depot
- Canadian Tire
Gas Stations & Convenience Stores
Another place you can often find a decent selection of gift cards for sale are gas stations and convenience stores like Petro-Canada, Esso, and 7-Eleven. While the gift card offerings may be more limited than at grocery and big box stores, you can often find gas station gift cards along with popular coffee and restaurant brands.
Some typical gift card options at gas stations/convenience stores include:
- Petro-Points
- STARBUCKS
- Tim Hortons
- Subway
- iTunes
- Amazon
- Visa/Mastercard
- Nintendo
- Xbox
- Cineplex
Malls
Shopping malls are home to a vast variety of gift card options due to the number of different retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues typically housed under one roof. Many malls will have central gift card kiosks that bring together top brands, allowing for one-stop gift card shopping. Individual stores and restaurants in malls also sell their own gift cards on site.
Some of the most popular mall gift cards include:
- Hudson’s Bay
- Sephora
- Sporting Life
- Swarovski
- Aritzia
- GAP
- Foot Locker
- Cineplex
- Recipe Unlimited brands
- Montana’s
- Kelsey’s
- Jack Astor’s
Bank Branches
Many major banks in Canada sell gift cards for third party retailers and restaurants right at the branch. CIBC, RBC, Scotiabank, TD, and BMO are among the banks where you can conveniently purchase gift cards when doing your regular banking. Bank branch gift card selections tend to focus on the most popular dining, retail, and entertainment options.
Some typical gift cards available at Canadian bank branches include:
- Amazon
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Starbucks
- Tim Hortons
- iTunes
- Cineplex
- Chapters
- Home Depot
- Canadian Tire
- Swiss Chalet
- Moxie’s
- Montana’s
Online Retailers
In addition to physical gift card options, there are also many ways to purchase digital gift cards from top online retailers in Canada. Popular websites for buying e-gift cards include:
- Amazon.ca
- Well.ca
- Chapters.Indigo.ca
- BestBuy.ca
- HomeDepot.ca
- CanadianTire.ca
- Starbucks.ca
- SwissChalet.ca
- Winners.ca
- OldNavy.ca
The main benefits of online gift cards are the convenience of purchasing and delivering completely digitally to send as last minute gifts. Many major retailers allow you to customize e-gift cards with personalized messages and gift amounts as well.
Third Party Gift Card Websites
There are also dedicated online gift card marketplace websites that aggregate different brand options all in one place. Top sites that offer a huge selection of digital and physical gift cards for sale online to Canadians include:
- Cardswap.ca
- Giftcards.ca
- Giftcardmall.ca
- Mygiftcards.ca
These sites provide lots of choice across retail, dining, entertainment, travel, and other gift card categories. You can shop by brand, browse by category, and easily send online gift cards via email or physical cards by mail.
Directly from Brands
Many major retail and restaurant chains also give Canadians the option to purchase brand-specific gift cards directly from their own websites. This allows you to easily buy gift cards for your preferred brands online for delivery or e-gift card redemption.
Some examples of big brands that sell gift cards through their own sites include:
- Starbucks.ca
- TimHortons.ca
- Subway.ca
- SwissChalet.ca
- Montanas.ca
- Winners.ca
- BestBuy.ca
- TheBay.com
- GapCanada.ca
- OldNavy.ca
- BananaRepublic.ca
Going directly to a brand’s website ensures you can easily find their gift cards specifically. Many also offer promotions like bonus cards or seasonal gift card specials available to customers.
Specialty Gift Card Retailers
There are also some specialty gift card shops that exclusively or primarily focus on selling gift cards. These retailers provide a wide assortment of card options across many spending categories all in one specialized store. Popular specialty gift card shops in Canada include:
- Blackhawk Network
- CashCard
- Destination Gift Card Stores
- Happy Daze Gift Card Stores
- GiftCardsCanada.ca Stores
These specialty retailers have gift card malls or entire stores dedicated specifically to providing consumers a huge selection of physical and e-gift cards from leading brands. They offer great convenience for gift card-focused shopping.
Travel Retailers
Looking to give the gift of travel? Many travel and transportation providers sell gift cards that allow the recipient to redeem on flights, hotels, cruises, rail passes, and more. Top options to purchase travel gift cards include:
- Air Canada Vacations
- WestJet
- Airbnb
- Fairmont Hotels
- Royal Caribbean
- Expedia
- VIA Rail
Travel gift cards make great gifts for people looking to plan upcoming vacations and getaways. You can buy airline gift cards directly from the airline websites in most cases.
Entertainment Retailers
For the pop culture lover or entertainment buff, gift cards to music, movies, and gaming retailers are always appreciated. Top entertainment gift card options in Canada include:
- iTunes
- Spotify
- Cineplex
- PlayStation Store
- Xbox Store
- Nintendo eShop
- Steam
- Fandango
These types of gift cards allow recipients to enjoy music, movies, video games, concerts, and more. You can buy them online or in physical stores.
Specialty Experience Gift Cards
In recent years, gift cards for “experiences” have also grown in popularity. These are gift cards and vouchers valid for various leisure activities and adventures like:
- Spa packages
- Indoor skydiving
- Wine/beer tastings
- Race car driving
- Sightseeing tours
- Golf lessons
- Amusement parks
You can buy specialty experience gift cards directly from the individual activity provider’s website or from third party experience gift card sites.
Charity Gift Cards
Gift cards also provide a great way to donate to charity and good causes. Many popular Canadian charities and non-profits sell gift cards where proceeds go towards supporting their mission. Some top charity gift card options include:
- WWF Canada
- United Way
- Make-A-Wish Canada
- Greenpeace
- Women’s Shelter’s Canada
- Canadian Cancer Society
Purchasing charity gift cards allows you to give back and delight the recipient at the same time. They can be bought directly through the charity websites in most cases.
Prepaid Credit Cards
Finally, prepaid Visa and Mastercard gift cards have also become a go-to gift card option for many Canadians. These types of cards function like prepaid credit cards and allow recipients to make purchases wherever Visa or Mastercard are accepted. Top prepaid card options include:
- Vanilla Visa
- Visa gift card
- Mastercard gift card
- American Express gift card
Prepaid credit card gift cards are widely available at grocery stores, big box stores, mall kiosks, bank branches, and online. They provide flexibility and spending power for the recipient.
Conclusion
As we’ve seen, gift cards are sold at a very wide variety of retailers across Canada, both in-person and online. From grocery stores to malls to drug stores to specialty shops, there are endless options for purchasing gift cards for any occasion. The diversity of brands and convenient omnichannel purchasing gives Canadians many ways to buy the perfect gift card for their recipient. So next time you need a gift card, consider the vast selection of options available right across the country.