Canadian souvenirs

 Souvenirs from canada

  Vancouver souvenirs

Toronto souvenirs

  Montreal souvenirs

  Souvenirs from Quebec

Looking for the best Canadian souvenirs? You’re in the right place.

Canadian souvenirs often represent the distinct nature, wildlife and national sports of Canada – maple trees, beavers, moose, mounted police, winter sports and many more.

Being from Canada, I have hosted several people in my home country over the years and I enjoy helping them find souvenirs from Canada that they can remember their trip by, or give as gifts.

Being able to see Canada through their eyes has allowed me to see what kinds of things to them ‘stood out’ about Canada and made it unique to what they can find at home.

In addition, I’ve grown up visiting relatives in Sweden, and we always looked for special and unique gifts from Canada that they would appreciate.

I place a huge importance on quality of products. You want souvenirs that will fulfill its purpose, and last. Ideally, its also great to support small businesses and artisan craftsman ship that can make unique souvenirs that you can’t get anywhere else.

I’ll tell you where you can find some of these Canadian souvenirs for cheap – but I’m also going to tell you where to find the best quality ones, so that you have different options and know where to find them.

So, let’s jump in – the best Canada souvenirs to buy in 2024!

Unique Canadian souvenirs

Here are some of the best and most unique souvenirs from Canada that you can’t find anywhere else

1. A bottle of Ice Wine

Ice Wine is dessert wine that is only made in a select few countries, because of how cold it needs to be in order to produce it. Canada is the world’s largest producer of ice wine.

To make ice wine, the grapes need to be frozen while on the vine. Ice wine is produced in the Niagara region. (If you’re in around Niagara Falls in winter, you should check out the Ice Wine Festival that is held every January in Niagara on the Lake.)

If you want to bring back a bottle of wine but don’t like the idea of a dessert wine, then there are many wineries in Canada to choose from. One of my favourites is Peller Estates.

2. Indigenous Art and Products

There are three different groups of indigenous people in Canada – Inuit, First Nations and Métis, each of them making their own unique styles of art.

Indigenous Gifts is an online retailer that sells gifts and souvenirs that are uniquely decorated with indigenous art from Canada.

One T-shirt you could consider buying to support a good cause is an “Every Child Matters” shirt. September 30th is the International Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, and is recognized by wearing an orange shirt that says ‘every child matters.’

You could find an Every Child Matters shirt from a Canadian seller on Etsy, or from many stores in Canada during the month of September.

3. Maple Syrup

Canada is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world, and over 90% of it is produced in Quebec. However, you can find it pretty much everywhere in Canada.

In souvenir stores, you can find maple-syrup in maple-leaf shaped jars, which make cute gifts and nice keepsakes.

When choosing your maple syrup, be careful with getting it from grocery stores. You’re looking for 100% pure maple syrup. I recommend grabbing a brand that is locally made.

There are a lot of lower-quality brands that are made with high fructose corn syrup and not truly made in Canada or have much maple syrup in them.

Maple syrup is obviously a liquid and can be challenging to bring back on a plane. If you want something lighter, how about maple cookies? They’re like Oreos, except with vanilla and maple flavours. They’re are enjoyed by both tourists and Canadians

4. Terry Fox merchandise

Terry Fox is a Canadian hero – he was a teenager in the 1980s who lost one of his legs to cancer. He then committed to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. He did so with only one leg, (his other was prosthetic.)

There are children’s books about Terry Fox, as well as T-shirts, mugs and calendars. Buying Terry Fox merchandise not only gives you something unique to take home from Canada, but it also contributes to cancer research and to Terry’s memory.

Good to Know: If you’re not looking for Terry Fox merchandise, but want to support the cause, then the Terry Fox website also accepts donations.

5. Maple Tea

Tea has deep roots in many world cultures, but maple tea is something that is only commonly found in Canada.

Not only does maple tea taste pretty good, but it also contains zinc, manganese and potassium, which can boost your immune system.

Do Canadians drink maple tea? To be honest… no. I tend to see maple tea much more often in souvenir stores more than I do in anyone’s home in Canada.

However, if you’re a tea person and want to bring back a unique Canadian gift, then I think maple tea can be a great option. It’s also much lighter than maple syrup and easier to bring home.

6. Ice Wine Tea

We already talked about ice wine, but if you’re not an alcohol person, then you should check out ice wine tea.

Ice wine tea contains white tea, black tea, currants and yes -traces of ice wine. Although it contains ice wine, it contains no alcohol. It has a fruity flavour and can be mixed with milk or drank on its own.

Like maple tea, I can’t say that ice wine tea is a common staple in most Canadian homes, however, its a unique, more lightweight option to a bottle of ice wine.

There are also some great artisan options, such as this one which is made by a small business in Ontario.

7. A hockey jersey

Hockey is considered to be Canada’s national sport. Canada has teams in the NHL, and there are provincial leagues too, so there are a lot of hockey jersey options – from big league tems, to even small town teams.

They make hockey jerseys for everyone – men and women, as well as kids and even babies.

Hockey jerseys are commonly owned, and very popular as nice gifts to friends and family members in Canada, or to family in other countries. My parents got a Toronto hockey jersey for my American brother in law, and he loved it.

There are expensive hockey jerseys, and then there are cheap knock-off ones. If you want to get a high quality hockey jersey, then consider buying it from one of the Canadian NHL brand teams, which you can shop for on the official NHL shop. The jerseys there will cost around $150.

If you want to spend a little bit less or see different colour options, you can also try Sport Check which is Canada’s largest sporting clothing store – there are multiple locations, or you can shop online.

8. A Canada toque

A toque is a Canadian slang word that is more or less the same thing as a beanie – a wool winter hat (with or without a pon-pon.)

Like most other clothings items, you can find cute cheap Canadian toques at dollar stores and souvenir stores, and more expensive ones at Canadian (made in Canada) retailers.

My husband bought us this set of matching Canada toques and mitts for Christmas one year. You see, its not just a tourist thing – even Canadians wear Canada toques, mitts and scarves.

If I was going to buy a really nice Canada toque for someone, I would buy it from Roots or Muskoka Bear Wear, which are my favourite Canadian-owned stores for comfy winter clothes, such as hats and mitts.

The Hudson’s Bay Company also makes good Canadian themed hats and mitts and I’ve owned good quality sets from there as well.

9. Canadian amethyst products

Yes, amethysts grow in Canada; mainly in Ontario – the north shore of Lake Superior is the largest amethyst area in Canada. In fact, if you visit Thunder Bay, you can mine for your own amethysts!

If you visit this area, I recommend mining for your own amethysts which creates a special memory, as well as a souvenir – if not, you can buy Canadian amethysts all over the country.

You can find amethysts sold in higher quality souvenir shops. Sometimes it could be the gem on its own such as the picture above, or jewelry made out of them.

A small business in Thunder Bay called Purple Haze Amethyst makes products out of Canadian-mined amethysts and sells them. They are fairly affordable as well; you can get a pair of earrings for about $30 Canadian dollars.

10. Ketchup chips

Ketchup chips are very popular in Canada, but rarely found outside of Canada. It is not known exactly how they were invented, but its believed that they became ‘a thing’ in the 1970s and sold exclusively to Canadians.

They have been found at many parties and gatherings since then. They have a very savoury taste, and pair great with a backyard BBQ or just a snack. I’ve known both adults and kids to like them.

So if you’re looking for a unique, lightweight gift from Canada to bring, consider grabbing a bag of this red-powdered snack.

Ketchup chips are very common and you can find them in grocery stores, convenience stores and vending machines. The most common brand is called Lays, but my favourite brand of ketchup chips is made by President’s Choice (PC) which can be found at Zehrs, No Frills.

The PC brand has a stronger taste, so I would go with the Lays brand if you aren’t sure if you (or your recipient) will like them or not.

11. Girl Guide cookies

Girl Guide cookies are equivalent to Girl Scouts in the U.S.. but the Canadian flavours are unique to Canada. The cookies are produced in Québec Canada, and are sold only in Canada.

Girl Guide cookies are also only available at certain times of the year, which makes them extra unique.

Chocolate mint cookies (my personal favourite and probably the most popular) are sold in the fall, and chocolate and vanilla mix packs are sold in the spring.

Girl Guide cookies aren’t normally sold in stores in Canada, although you might be lucky enough to see Girl Guides selling them outside grocery stores at certain times of the year.

If you’d like to grab this rare Canadian souvenir – check out the Girl Guide cookie finder which you can find on their website.

12. Canadian Brand clothing

One thing I enjoy doing when I shop is finding stores that sell things you can’t get anywhere else.

I would highly recommend something from Muskoka Bear Wear or Roots. (In person locations, as well as on-line store.)

They make comfy clothes for men, women and kids – perfect for Canadian winter weather, but awesome souvenir or gift to take home too!

I own several pears of Muskoka Bear Wear’s ‘cottage comfy pants’ and a couple sweatshirts too.

For more Canadian women’s clothing brands that are made in Canada, click here.

13. Canada-themed fridge magnets

Fridge magnets make great souvenirs. My husband I grab one from almost every place we visit, and we have a special place in our home that we keep them all.

You can find Canada-themed fridge magnets at souvenir stores, stands and at special attractions. I usually try to pick something that represents the place for me visually.

For example, the mounted police is an iconic symbol of Canada – but if it doesn’t resonate with you, don’t get it. Get something that speaks to you what your time in Canada is about -whether its mountains, snow, the maple leaf, hockey-themed or Niagara Falls.

Even though we’re Canadian, we have some Canadian fridge magnets that we cherish – from the Kensington Market in Toronto, and Ripley’s Aquarium.

14. A moose stuffy

Besides a moose stuffy, there are also plush toys of other adorable stuffed animals of typical Canadian wildlife – bears, beavers, and racoons, and even Canadian geese.

Teddy bears are already pretty common worldwide, but the most common bears found in Canada are black bears and grizzlies – and yes, you can get stuffies of both of them.

When my husband went to Banff, he brought back a moose stuffy for my daughter. (Even though I’d been there with her before and also bought her one.) They’re so cute and iconic of Canada, that even we like them.

15. Cozy Canada socks

Cozy socks make a great souvenir or a gift for someone else, because they represent the chilly weather that we have throughout the year.

Like other Canadian themed gifts, they vary in styles, designs and in quality.

You can find socks at souvenir and dollar stores, or better quality ones at Roots or Muskoka Bear Wear, or The Hudson’s Bay Company.

If thick socks aren’t your thing and you prefer thin ones like me, then you could also get a pair like this.

16. Post cards

I usually grab a couple post cards from any place I visit, and there are some stunning landscapes in Canada worth having post cards of.

Sometimes I send them, and sometimes I keep one or two for myself. They make a great addition to scrapbooks, or a keepsake of a place you visited that you really like. The photography on them is sometimes better than what we can do ourselves, from angles we can’t reach.

17. Canadian coffee

Coffee beans aren’t grown in Canada, but there are a few Canadian coffee companies where you could buy coffee or even merchandise unique to that brand, such as mugs and travel mugs.

The most iconic Canadian coffee company is Tim Horton’s coffee, and this is the one that most people will suggest to you. Tim Horton was a Canadian NHL player, and the café named after him. If you go into a Tim Horton’s, they have some cute Canadian souvenirs in a display.

Tim Horton’s is iconic and makes a good gift, but something to keep in mind is that the chain has gone international and you can find them in dozens of countries worldwide now.

If its important to you to buy something that you can only find in Canada, then consider a smaller Canadian coffee brand, such as Second Cup or Coffee Culture.

To see a list of Canadian coffee brands and to shop for their products, check the Shop Local Canada website here.

18. A book mark

One of my favourite types of souvenirs to bring home from other places is a book mark. I love to read, and having a book mark from places serves as a nice reminder of my trip. I still use one that I bought in Crater Lake every day.

Indigo, Canada’s largest retailer of books sells bookmarks, but you can also get Canada-themed souvenir ones from basic souvenir stores or from independent bookstores.

19. Canadian Beer or Apparel

Beer is Canada’s most popular drink! The most common Canadian beer brands are Moose, Molson, Labatt Blue and Creemore Springs. Molson is the #1 most popular beer in the country.

Creemore Springs is a small locally brewery about 2 hours north of Toronto. It’s my husband’s favourite type of beer. They also sell apparel, such as caps and T-shirts. My husband has one of their T-shirts.

20. Locally made in Canada products

Sometimes the best places to find unique souvenirs are from small businesses. Whether its jewelry, bath bombs, hand creams – you can find artisan products that are hard to come by anywhere else.

The best way to find locally made items are to visit farmers markets, which are typically held on weekends from May through to Canadian Thanksgiving in October. You can also venture into small villages and towns. If you’re hear in the holiday season, check out Christmas Markets which happen in many major cities and small towns.

We recently went to Quebec City at Christmastime and brought back some unique artisan products that are made by locals – a pea soup, chocolate covered cranberries, a black current jam.

21. Chocolate from a Canadian chocolatier

Chocolate often makes a good gift, and there are a lot of unique Canadian chocolate bars, and chocolate companies.

Canadian chocolate bars are: Coffee Crisp, Aero, Mars, and Kit Kat. You can find these at check out aisles in grocery stores, dollar stores and convenience stores.

If you’re looking for good quality Canadian chocolate, check our Purdy’s. There are several locations and they made delicious chocolate, including vegan chocolate. None of their chocolate says anything ‘Canada’ on them (likely because their demographic tends to be locals.) but still makes a nice gift.

22. Canadian Art

Canadian art often depicts otherworldly scenery, or wildlife. It could be art you put on your wall, or it could be a greeting card, on a magnet.

The Group of Seven was a famous group of Canadian arts that were well known for their paintings of Northern Ontario. You can find prints of their work in many stores, or at art galleries.

There are places you can visit in Ontario such as Manitoulin Island, Stratford, Kingston, and Owen Sound which are all known for having an art scene, and there are art galleries where you can appreciate and purchase artwork by independent artists.

23. Canadian-made Christmas ornaments

Christmas ornaments can be about Canadian specifically or hand made with Canadian materials. For example, this ornament that I received as a gift was made with pebbles from a Canadian beach.

There are stores devoted entirely to Christmas that are open year-round in touristy towns such as Quebec City and Niagara on the Lake.

If you’re visiting Ontario in winter early in the season, you will likely run into Christmas markets where there are many local vendors selling homemade ornaments and decorations.

24. A cap with a Canadian logo

Caps make great souvenirs, because they’re useful and you can find. I’ve brought caps back home as souvenirs from several trips, to Italy, and to Lake Tahoe. As a minimalist, I like having a souvenir that’s useful that I’ll get a lot of use out of.

Sometimes caps as souvenirs can be a great conversation starter too. I’ve had people stop me and ask me if I went to the place on my cap, and it’s fun to recount the trip a little bit.

If you want to spend a bit more money, then you can get a Major League Baseball (MLB) hat. For example, an authentic Toronto Blue Jays hat can cost about $40.00. You can find cheaper knock off versions (such as the one in the top right hand of my photo) for less.

25. Canadian fruit products

Being a colder climate country, tropical fruit doesn’t grow in Canada, but we grow plenty of fruit belonging the ‘rose’ category: apples, pears, peaches, plums and cherries, as well as berries – strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, black currants and blueberries.

Bringing fruit on a plane isn’t usually the problem, the problem is how long it can stay fresh before it spoils, depending on the kind of fruit.

So instead of bringing raw fruit, I recommend bringing less-perishable products that are made with fruit that is grown in Canada.

You can get jams, spreads, ciders, dehydrated fruit. One of my favourite snacks in the fall is dried apple chips.

When visiting Quebec City with my family, we brought home a jar of locally-produced black currant jam which made a great gift.

26. Books by Canadian Authors

I’m a big reader. If you like to read, I have some recommendations on books that you might enjoy that were written by Canadians and take place in Canada.

One way to find books written by Canadian authors is to check out Canada Reads, which is  is an annual “battle of the books” competition organized and broadcast by CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.)

As a Canadian who likes to read and has checked out quite a few Canadian authors, here are a couple of my personal favourites that take place in Canada that I’ve enjoyed:

From the Ashes– (pictured above) a memoir by an indigenous Canadian who struggled with drug addiction and was in and out of jail. He turned his life around and now he’s a professor at York University in Toronto.

The Birds That Stay, a fictional murder-mystery that takes place outside Montreal.

Good to Know: Indigo (Chapters) is Canada’s largest book retailer; aside from books, they also sell magazines, household items, toys and gifts. Check out their Canadian authors section online, or in stores.

27. A bottle of deep blue gin

Empress 1908 Gin is made in British Columbia, and is known for its indigo blue colour. It was founded in B.C. and is named after a landmark hotel there.

If you’re looking for an impressive gift with a beautiful colour, then this might be a great option. You can also find it Empress 1908 Gin at LCBO stores in-person, or online here.

Where to Buy Canada Souvenirs

Here’s where to find some of the best Canadian souvenirs . Whether you’re looking for cheap or expensive ones, there are a variety of places to find them

Canada souvenirs can easily be found at chain department stores such as Walmart, or online on Amazon. Additionally, any tourist attraction you visit in Canada will usually have souvenirs associated with that place, and with Canada in general.

Major tourist hotspots s like Niagara Falls, Quebec City, Toronto, Banff or Vancouver will have large stores dedicated solely to souvenirs. The airports will sell Canadian souvenirs too.

If you’re looking for more unique, quality souvenirs from Canada, then check out some of my favourite stores below which sell gifts and products that make great souvenirs.

My Favourite Stores to Find Good Canada Souvenirs

Roots – multiple locations
Muskoka Bear Wear in Muskoka Ontario (ships online)
Purdy’s Chocolatier -multiple locations
Hudson’s Bay Company, a chain department store
The Olde Stanton Store in Blue Mountain Village in Ontario
Concession Road in Alliston, Ontario (ships online)
Cool as a Moose in Banff, Alberta

Canadian Souvenirs by Province

Canada is a large country that differs from province to province. Each province has a bit of their own character, products that they commonly produce or specialize in. Sometimes the best way to get unique Canadian souvenirs is to get very location-specific ones that aren’t found anywhere else

Ontario

Ontario is the most populated province and also the centre of most excitement. Toronto, the largest Canadian city and Ottawa, the capital city.

There are a lot of unique Ontario souvenirs that you can find at certain attractions that are only located in Ontario, such as Niagara Falls, Canada’s Wonderland, Great Wolf Lodge, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Science Centre, the CN Tower and more.

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island is home to the author of Anne of Green Gables, and aside from other Canadian souvenirs, you can find a lot of Anne souvenirs here. When I was there, I brought home a bottle of raspberry cordial, )the drink that Anne drinks throughout the book.)

Quebec Souvenirs

Quebec has a unique culture to the rest of Canada; partially because its the only province where French is a majority language.

They’re a lot of unique festivals and celebrations, and Quebec is also the largest producers of maple syrup. You could also consider buying shirts that have French writing on them, as sometimes this is hard to find outside Quebec or Canada.

Alberta & British Columbia

Alberta and British Columbia are home to the stunning Canadian rockies. Banff Gifts and Souvenirs owns several locations that sell Canada and Alberta souvenirs.

Canadian Souvenirs: FAQs

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about Canadian souvenirs

What are the best things to buy from Canada?

ice wine products, maple products. Look for a ‘made in Canada’ label to ensure that you’re supporting local, and investing in a good quality product.

What are the iconic items of Canada?

The most iconic items of Canada are the maple leaf, hockey symbols, and some wildlife, such as the moose or the beaver. You can find special unique Canadian items

What is Canada’s famous souvenir?

Since Canada is famous for hockey and for maple syrup, there are lots of hockey and maple related souvenirs that you can buy in Canada.

What are 2 things Canada is famous for?

The two main things Canada is famous for are hockey and for maple syrup. In fact, the maple leaf is so iconic that its on the Canadian flag.

Canadian Souvenirs: Conclusion

I hope that this has filled you with inspiration of Canadian souvenirs to find on your trip. Whether you’re looking for souvenirs from Canada as a gift, or to have as a keep sake, I have no doubt that you’ve gotten some ideas.

As a minimalist myself, I like to recommend Canadian souvenirs that won’t clutter up drawers or shelves, but actually be useful and bring joy as you recount memories from your time in Canada, or be a special gift for someone overseas.

Whether you’re looking for something cost effective, or want to splurge a bit, I hope that I’ve given you lots of unique ideas for souvenirs from Canada.