If you’re like most Canadians, you like to kick back and flip through TV channels to unwind after a long day. Since most TV channels have websites airing live content, why should it be any different when you’re outside Canada? We’ll answer that: geo-restrictions. Thanks to those digital roadblocks, you can’t watch Canadian TV abroad, whether you’re a Canadian on a trip or vacation, or just a fan of TV programs from the Land of Maple Syrup.
More accurately, you can’t watch Canadian TV channels abroad without changing your IP address to reflect a location within the country. Sounds like rocket science? Don’t fret — there are quite a few ways to do it. In this article, we’ll explore the safest and most reliable option, which is using a VPN.
But first, what’s behind this issue?
Why You Can’t Watch Canadian Television Outside Canada
When you’re in Canada, you can explore tons of TV channels from the comfort of your couch. Channels like CityTV, CTV, CBC, TSN, and Sportsnet also have websites you can visit on your computer, phone, streaming device, or smart TV to enjoy live streams or on-demand content. However, depending on the channel, you may need a subscription.
It’s not that simple outside Canada. Even if you’re just visiting your southern neighbors in the United States, geo-restrictions will prevent you from accessing many of the TV channels and programs you’re accustomed to in Canada.
These geographical limitations exist because of licensing agreements that mean various countries and services have claims on particular movies, shows, or specials. For instance, a TV show may be exclusively licensed to air in Canada or broadcast in other regions in the future.
That’s why you’ll see an error like this displayed on the screen when you click Play on a Canadian TV channel abroad:
Sometimes, it’s just a blank screen that never loads or endless buffering, no matter how long you wait. Whatever the case, the message is clear, and they may as well be saying,
“You’re not in Canada, so we’re not letting you in.”
How Can You Watch Canadian TV Channels Abroad Anyway?
We understand that it stings being locked out of your usual TV channels and streaming services, especially when you have an active subscription that could expire before you’re back in the Great White North.
Thankfully, you can side-step this pesky problem with a good VPN for Canada. The idea is that it will help you to bypass geo-restrictions by modifying your IP address.
If this sounds pretty complicated, don’t worry — while the actual process takes place under the hood, most VPN services are designed for regular people to use without breaking a sweat. Here, we’ll show you all you have to do in three easy steps:
1. Subscribe to a Reputable VPN Service
Watching Canadian TV channels abroad begins with deciding on an ideal VPN and signing up. To be clear, while there are scores of VPN services, a significant chunk of them won’t deliver the seamless experience you need.
We’ll discuss the VPNs we trust below. Of them, our favorite option is NordVPN. Its plans are pretty affordable for how highly rated and capable the VPN is.
But what if you could snag a subscription for even cheaper? You can get an exclusive 72% discount on the VPN’s two-year package if you click the button below. It also comes with a no-questions-asked 30-day money-back guarantee.
After subscribing, download and install the VPN app from the website or official app store.
2. Connect to a Canadian Server
As we mentioned earlier, the trick for getting around the geo-blocks on Canadian TV channels while abroad involves masking your foreign IP address.
Launch your newly installed VPN app and sign in. Search for a Canadian location in the server section and click to connect.
In the demonstration above, we connected to a NordVPN server in Toronto. Alternatively, you can click on “Canada,” and the VPN will automatically choose (and connect to) a fast server for you. Wait a few moments until the prompt displays to inform you that the connection has been activated.
3. Watch Canadian TV Abroad
With the “hard” part out of the way, you’re all set to enjoy any Canadian TV channel you subscribe to, wherever you are.
This hack isn’t limited to Canadian television channels. With NordVPN and the same trick, you can also watch American TV channels outside the US or catch British humor and drama on UK TV channels outside the UK. In fact, it works globally.
The Best VPNs For Watching Canadian TV Channels Abroad
This is an in-depth look at the best VPN providers for accessing Canadian TV channels from anywhere.
1. NordVPN
NordVPN tops most of our VPN selection guides, and for good reason. For instance, it is the best VPN for streaming, whether on Canadian TV channels or streaming services. The provider has three server locations in Canada, with more than 480 servers between them.
In theory, such a wealth of options means seamless access to the content you want after getting a Canadian IP address. We put that to the test, and that’s precisely what we got. NordVPN effortlessly unblocked CityTV, CBC Gem, CTV, Global TV, and other Canadian TV channels. We experienced similar results with Crave, Netflix Canada, Hulu, Prime Video, and other streaming services.
Thanks to NordVPN’s well-optimized network and speed-friendly custom protocol, you can expect fantastic streaming quality, even in high definition.
NordVPN is compatible with a wide variety of devices. Want to stream Canadian TV channels on your computer, mobile phone, or tablet? It has full native apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. What about your set-top box or smart TV? NordVPN also supports those platforms. For devices without native compatibility, router support means you can extend your VPN connection past the VPN’s 10-device limit.
As stated earlier, NordVPN’s pricing won’t burn a hole in your wallet. What’s more, each plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not impressed, you can cancel within that window and ask for your money back.
2. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is another popular choice for unblocking Canadian TV channels outside Canada. It also has three Canadian server locations — in Montreal, Vancouver, and Toronto.
During our in-house test, we tried streaming Crave TV outside Canada while connected to ExpressVPN, and the VPN impressed. In fact, all our tries were successful — we could access CTV, CBC, and several others. Does ExpressVPN work with Netflix? Yes, impressively. It also unlocks exclusive BBC iPlayer, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu content.
Nobody wants to battle through frustrating buffering while watching TV, whether it’s a thrilling ice hockey game or a dramatic high school show. ExpressVPN offers next-gen servers optimized for fast connection speeds and a custom protocol to prevent that. And they work pretty well — we enjoyed butter-smooth connections during testing, even while connected to a long-distance server.
What’s more, ExpressVPN is remarkably easy to use. It has lightweight apps without a steep learning curve for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS VPN beginners. It’s also one of the few VPNs with a full graphical interface VPN for Linux. You can also catch up on Canadian live streams on the smart TV in your hotel room, as it’s compatible with Android TV.
However, it’s not all pros — ExpressVPN has high-end pricing. That said, it’s still good value for money, as you can extend its eight-device simultaneous connections limit with a router. You also have ample time to decide if the subscription fee is worth it due to the 30-day refund window backing all plans.
3. Private Internet Access
Private Internet Access is the best budget VPN for watching Canadian TV abroad because of its dirt-cheap pricing. It’s cheap, but can it do the job? Yes, it can. Private Internet Access unblocked several Canadian television channels, like CityTV, Global TV, and CTV, during testing. And, even though we’ve noticed it can be inconsistent when it comes to tough geo-blocks, PIA also excelled when we tried to access Netflix Canada and Crave TV.
PIA has more than 30,000 servers distributed across 91 countries. That’s the biggest server fleet around by some distance. More servers don’t always mean blazing-fast speeds, but PIA also delivers in this area. You can expect smooth streams, especially when you use the performance-friendly WireGuard.
While Private Internet Access offers plenty of customization, it’s intuitive enough for the less tech-savvy. It’s widely compatible and offers lightweight apps for every platform you can stream TV channels on.
What’s more, it’s the best VPN for large households because it allows unlimited simultaneous connections. That means a single PIA subscription covers all the devices you want to connect to the VPN.
You can take PIA on a spin if you need even more convincing. It has a 7-day free trial exclusively for Android and iOS. And if one week is not enough time to make up your mind, take advantage of its 30-day money-back guarantee.
Can You Watch Canadian TV Abroad With a Free VPN?
Technically, that’s possible. Some of the best free VPNs may be capable of unblocking some Canadian TV channels. However, there’s more to a seamless experience, so we generally recommend sticking to premium VPNs, especially those we spotlighted above.
To begin with, free VPNs typically only give you access to a handful of VPN servers. Because the ratio of servers to users is high, they are usually overcrowded. That translates to slow connection speeds, more often than not. And that, in turn, ruins your streaming experience. In addition, they tend to have data caps and bandwidth limits that lead to throttling and interruptions.
Furthermore, you cannot trust most free VPNs with your online privacy, which is the primary reason for using a VPN in the first place. Many have been known to extensively collect user and activity logs, which they sell to third parties for profit.
A quality premium VPN is worth its cost. The best providers have refund windows which allow you to test them before settling.
Final Thoughts
You can’t watch most Canadian TV channels outside Canada without a tool that modifies your IP address. A VPN is the best way to do this, as it’s safe, convenient, and offers seamless streaming. In this article, we’ve provided a complete guide with the necessary steps and tools.
NordVPN is the best VPN to watch Canadian TV abroad, but ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access are credible options. Each provider offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Watch Canadian television abroad with NordVPN
FAQs
Here are some related questions and answers centering on watching Canadian TV abroad.
How to use a VPN to watch Canadian television from anywhere?
Choose a VPN service and subscribe to a plan. Next, connect to a VPN server in Canada. Head back to the TV channel’s live-streaming page and enjoy watching.
Do I need a VPN if I’m in Canada?
Not to watch local TV channels. However, a VPN comes in handy for several other purposes. Primarily, it safeguards your connection from malicious actors. What’s more, a VPN can help you watch international streaming content and TV channels from other regions while you’re in Canada.
Is Watching Canadian TV Overseas Legal?
Unblocking Canadian TV channels with a VPN falls in a legal gray area. While VPNs are perfectly legal in most countries worldwide, you may be breaching licensing agreements by streaming with them. That said, it’s usually not outrightly illegal, and, in that cast, you’re not in danger of legal repercussions.