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Issuance of polymer bank notes

The Bank of Canada will gradually replace paper bank notes with polymer bank notes. It will begin circulating new $100 polymer bank notes in November 2011, with a polymer $50 note to follow in March 2012. The remaining denominations ($20, $10 and $5 notes) will be unveiled and issued by the end of 2013.

Canada's new polymer bank notes are:

• Secure:Their leading-edge security features are easy to verify and hard to counterfeit.
• Durable: Polymer bank notes will remain circulation at least 2.5 times longer than paper bank notes before they become too used and need to be replaced. Fewer bills will be printed in the coming years.
• Innovative: A one-of-a-kind currency, they are among the most secure bank notes in the world.
• Better for the environment: Polymer bank notes will have less impact on the environment than paper notes and will be recycled.

The colours and dimensions of the new bills will remain the same as those of the bills currently in circulation.

For commercial clients

The impact of this change

To minimize the amount of time that polymer and paper notes are in circulation at the same time, the Bank of Canada will be supplying financial institutions with only polymer notes after their respective issue dates.

You can facilitate the removal of paper notes by:

• Keeping polymer and paper notes separated in your tills (e.g., polymer notes on top and paper notes below in the same compartment).
• Bundling polymer and paper notes separately in you bank deposit.

Machines that count cash or accept cash payments (e.g. self-service kiosks) may need to be reconfigured to ensure efficient processing of polymer bank notes. Certain models may need to be replaced. Please contact your equipment suppliers to find out if your machines can accept Canadian polymer bank notes.

Material and resources to help you make the transition

An information package for retailers is available free of charge in all commercial caisses. Feel free to request one.

Find out more:

• Go to the website: www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes.
• Call 1-888-513-8212.
• Write an e-mail.