As of April 26, 2019, the Bank of Canada will no longer publish the quarterly series for counterfeit bank notes. Additionally, the totals in each denomination will be altered to reflect only the sum of the note designs which are currently listed on the web page.
Legend
Number of counterfeits detected in circulation, excluding $1, $2, and $1000 notes
Counterfeit value excluding $1, $2, and $1000 notes (thousands of dollars)
Total average count of notes in circulation (millions), excluding $1, $2, and $1000 notes
Counterfeits seized by police, excluding $1, $2, and $1000 notes
Number of counterfeit notes detected in circulation by denomination
Total $5
$5 (Birds of Canada series)
$5 (Original Canadian Journey series)
$5 (Upgraded Canadian Journey series)
$5 (Frontiers series)
Total $10
$10 (Birds of Canada series)
$10 (Original Canadian Journey series)
$10 (Upgraded Canadian Journey series)
$10 (Frontiers series)
$10 (Vertical)
Total $20
$20 (Birds of Canada series)
$20 (Canadian Journey series)
$20 (Frontiers series)
$20 (Frontiers series – commemorative)
Total $50
$50 (Scenes of Canada series)
$50 (Birds of Canada series)
$50 (Canadian Journey series)
$50 (Frontiers series)
Total $100
$100 (Scenes of Canada series)
$100 (Birds of Canada series)
$100 (Canadian Journey series)
$100 (Frontiers series)
Annual Series
| Annual | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of counterfeits detected in circulation, excluding $1, $2, and $1000 notes | 17,494 | 22,789 | 33,405 | 33,705 | 18,942 |
| Counterfeit value excluding $1, $2, and $1000 notes (thousands of dollars) | 894 | 1,222 | 1,870 | 1,600 | 937 |
| Total average count of notes in circulation (millions), excluding $1, $2, and $1000 notes | 1,942 | 2,050 | 2,138 | 2,185 | 2,388 |
| Counterfeits seized by police, excluding $1, $2, and $1000 notes | |||||
| Number of counterfeit notes detected in circulation by denomination | |||||
| Total $5 | 788 | 1,663 | 3,345 | 3,347 | 2,244 |
| $5 (Birds of Canada series) | 38 | 31 | 48 | 89 | 43 |
| $5 (Original Canadian Journey series) | 123 | 83 | 48 | 126 | 89 |
| $5 (Upgraded Canadian Journey series) | 191 | 52 | 60 | 35 | 14 |
| $5 (Frontiers series) | 436 | 1,497 | 3,189 | 3,097 | 2,098 |
| Total $10 | 1,387 | 1,112 | 1,466 | 1,420 | 955 |
| $10 (Birds of Canada series) | 305 | 135 | 93 | 147 | 103 |
| $10 (Original Canadian Journey series) | 505 | 492 | 467 | 336 | 202 |
| $10 (Upgraded Canadian Journey series) | 351 | 72 | 69 | 104 | 24 |
| $10 (Frontiers series) | 226 | 413 | 837 | 756 | 537 |
| $10 (Vertical) | 77 | 89 | |||
| Total $20 | 6,251 | 5,959 | 8,601 | 12,525 | 4,558 |
| $20 (Birds of Canada series) | 884 | 1,124 | 1,121 | 548 | 309 |
| $20 (Canadian Journey series) | 4,074 | 2,135 | 2,607 | 1,010 | 579 |
| $20 (Frontiers series) | 1,291 | 2,682 | 4,864 | 10,900 | 3,598 |
| $20 (Frontiers series – commemorative) | 2 | 18 | 9 | 67 | 72 |
| Total $50 | 2,819 | 5,790 | 5,776 | 5,898 | 5,433 |
| $50 (Scenes of Canada series) | 19 | 146 | 122 | 47 | 60 |
| $50 (Birds of Canada series) | 126 | 106 | 362 | 508 | 358 |
| $50 (Canadian Journey series) | 249 | 100 | 124 | 115 | 299 |
| $50 (Frontiers series) | 2,425 | 5,438 | 5,168 | 5,228 | 4,716 |
| Total $100 | 6,057 | 7,856 | 13,682 | 10,155 | 5,477 |
| $100 (Scenes of Canada series) | 1,432 | 798 | 1,248 | 955 | 407 |
| $100 (Birds of Canada series) | 1,460 | 356 | 284 | 270 | 137 |
| $100 (Canadian Journey series) | 1,071 | 598 | 542 | 629 | 266 |
| $100 (Frontiers series) | 2,094 | 6,104 | 11,608 | 8,301 | 4,667 |
Notes
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Bank of Canada
Statistics pertaining to counterfeit Canadian bank notes (formerly B4) contains data on the average number of bank notes in circulation as well as data supplied by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on counterfeit notes. Totals for each denomination reflect only the series displayed (which represent the majority of counterfeits detected in circulation). For this reason, there may be slight discrepancies with the total number of counterfeits detected in circulation, displayed in the top row of the table, which includes all series.
Counterfeits are categorized as “passed”, detected in circulation, or “seized”, those confiscated by law enforcement before being circulated. Suspected counterfeits found in circulation by retailers, financial institutions, and the general public, as well as those discovered during note processing at the Bank of Canada, are forwarded to the RCMP National Anti-Counterfeiting Bureau for forensic evaluation.