Is Shopify Canadian? What Canadian Merchants Should Know About Billing and Sales Tax

Yes, Shopify is a Canadian company: Shopify Inc. was incorporated in 2004, exists under the Canada Business Corporations Act and lists Ottawa, Ontario among its principal executive offices. Its shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange and on Nasdaq in the United States, and it reports its results in US dollars. For Canadian merchants, the more practical questions are what currency Shopify bills in, which sales taxes appear on your Shopify invoice and what you must collect from your own customers. This guide answers those.

This is general information, not tax or legal advice. Confirm your sales tax obligations with the Canada Revenue Agency, your province or an accountant.

Which country is Shopify located in?

Canada. In its latest annual report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Shopify describes itself as a corporation existing under the Canada Business Corporations Act and gives two addresses for its principal executive offices: 151 O’Connor Street in Ottawa, and New York. The company was incorporated on September 28, 2004, and says it works as a remote-first company, so most staff do not work from one head office.

Is Shopify still Canadian-owned?

Shopify is a public company, so its owners are its shareholders, in Canada and around the world. It remains a Canadian corporation listed on the TSX and on Nasdaq under the symbol SHOP. Being Canadian-incorporated does not change how the platform works for you, but it is why Shopify’s Canadian help pages, billing and tax handling are well developed.

Does Shopify bill in Canadian dollars?

Yes. Shopify supports local currency billing in Canadian dollars. According to Shopify’s help page on paying in your local currency, plan subscription charges are priced directly in Canadian dollars, while app charges, POS subscriptions, theme and domain purchases, shipping labels and third-party transaction fees are converted from US dollars with a currency conversion fee. If you pay your Shopify bill with PayPal, Shopify says you must switch your billing currency to US dollars.

Your store’s selling currency is a separate setting. You can sell in Canadian dollars to Canadian customers whatever currency your Shopify bill uses.

Does Shopify charge GST, HST, PST or QST on its bills?

Shopify charges taxes on its invoices where tax authorities require it, based on your store’s billing address. Its billing tax guide for Canada and the US says a Canadian store’s subscription may carry GST, HST or PST depending on the province, and that since January 1, 2026 Shopify charges 7 percent Manitoba retail sales tax on applicable charges for Manitoba addresses. Tax exemptions for Canadian businesses go through Shopify Support rather than a self-serve setting.

Do I have to collect sales tax on my Shopify sales?

That depends on your business, not on Shopify. Under the Canada Revenue Agency’s small supplier rules, most businesses must register for and charge GST/HST once their taxable sales pass $30,000 in a single calendar quarter or over four consecutive calendar quarters. Provincial sales taxes in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec have their own registration rules. Shopify can calculate and add tax at checkout once you enter your registrations, but registering, filing and remitting remain your responsibility.

Is Shopify a good choice for a Canadian business?

Shopify suits most businesses that sell physical or digital products online, especially when you want hosting, security, checkout and payments in one place and a large app store for extras. It is a weaker fit when your site is mainly content or services with no store, when you need deep custom functionality the platform does not allow, or when you want full control of the code and hosting. Compare options in our guides on Shopify vs WooCommerce and the best ecommerce platforms for Canadian small businesses.

What are the downsides of using Shopify?

• Most extra features come from paid apps, and app subscriptions add up.
• Some charges are priced in US dollars and converted, so costs move with the exchange rate.
• Third-party payment providers can add transaction fees on top of the processor’s own fees.
• Theme and checkout customization has limits on lower plans.
• Moving away later means rebuilding the store and redirecting every product URL.

Plans, payment fees and features change, so check Shopify’s own pricing page for current Canadian figures before you choose a plan.

Can I customize my Shopify store?

Yes. You can choose and edit a theme, change layouts with the theme editor, add apps, and have a developer build custom sections, apps or integrations. Shopify Plus allows deeper checkout and workflow customization for larger merchants.

How secure is Shopify?

Shopify hosts every store and handles the security of its platform and checkout, including card payments. Your part is account security: unique passwords, two-step verification for every staff account, limited staff permissions and care with the apps you install, since each app can access store data.

Shopify checklist for Canadian merchants

• Billing currency set to Canadian dollars if you do not pay by PayPal.
• Store selling currency, shipping zones and tax settings set for Canada.
• GST/HST, and PST or QST where needed, registered and entered before you pass the thresholds.
• Staff accounts with two-step verification and only the permissions they need.
• App list reviewed each quarter, removing what you no longer use.

Our ecommerce website team plans, builds and optimizes online stores for Canadian businesses, and our Shopify development page covers Shopify builds in detail.

Frequently asked questions

Is Shopify a Canadian company?

Yes. Shopify Inc. is a corporation existing under the Canada Business Corporations Act, incorporated in 2004, with principal executive offices in Ottawa and New York.

Which country is Shopify located in?

Canada. Its annual report lists 151 O'Connor Street in Ottawa among its principal executive offices, and the company describes itself as remote-first.

Where is Shopify listed?

On the Toronto Stock Exchange and on Nasdaq in the United States, under the symbol SHOP.

Does Shopify bill in Canadian dollars?

Yes. Plan subscriptions can be billed directly in Canadian dollars. Apps, themes, domains, shipping labels and some fees are converted from US dollars with a conversion fee, and paying by PayPal requires US dollar billing.

Does Shopify charge GST/HST on its fees?

Shopify charges taxes where required, based on your billing address, so a Canadian store may see GST, HST or PST on its invoice, and Manitoba addresses see 7 percent retail sales tax since January 1, 2026.

Do I need to charge GST/HST on my Shopify sales?

Most businesses must register once taxable sales pass $30,000 in one calendar quarter or over four consecutive quarters. Provincial sales tax rules differ by province; confirm with the CRA or an accountant.

What is the downside of using Shopify?

Paid apps add up, some charges are converted from US dollars, third-party payment providers can add transaction fees, customization has plan limits and leaving means rebuilding the store.

Can I customize my Shopify store?

Yes, through themes, the theme editor, apps and custom development. Our Shopify development team builds custom sections and integrations.

How secure is Shopify?

Shopify secures its hosting, platform and checkout. Merchants are responsible for account security: strong passwords, two-step verification, limited staff permissions and careful app choices.

How do I contact Shopify directly?

Through the Shopify Help Center, which offers support options for merchants signed in to their store admin.

Is Shopify good for small businesses in Canada?

For most product sellers, yes. It is a weaker fit for content or service sites without a store or for projects that need full control of code and hosting. Our ecommerce website team helps choose and build the right platform.