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Canada | SMS compliance & best practice

Updated

Before launching any Canadian SMS campaign, ensure your opt-in flow is crystal clear, your system supports both English and French mandatory keywords (like STOP and ARRET), and you have secured an approved numeric Sender ID.

When messaging Canadian consumers, you must adhere to two main regulatory pillars:

  1. CASL (Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation): The federal law governing all Commercial Electronic Messages (CEMs). It prohibits deceptive spam and mandates clear consent.
  2. CTA (Canadian Telecommunications Association): The industry body that administers Short Codes and enforces A2P (Application-to-Person) best practices across wireless networks.

1. Consent and Call-to-Action (CTA) Requirements

Under CASL and CTA guidelines, you can never send unsolicited messages. You must obtain express consent prior to messaging a user.

  • Double Opt-In: If a user opts in via a web form, enforce a double opt-in procedure (e.g., they must reply "Y" to a confirmation text).
  • Clear Call-to-Action: Your advertisement or web form prompting the user to opt-in must prominently display:
    • Company and Program Name.
    • Message frequency (e.g., "2 msgs/month").
    • "Message and data rates may apply" disclaimer.
    • Opt-out and Help instructions.
    • Direct links to your Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

2. The Bilingual Rule: Mandatory Keywords

A critical requirement for Canadian messaging is supporting bilingual mandatory keywords. Your application must automatically recognize and respond to these five keywords:

Keyword Required Response Content
HELP Program name, price, frequency, support info, & opt-out instructions.
AIDE The exact same response as HELP, but translated into French.
INFO Program name and customer service information (bilingual).
STOP Program name and confirmation of unsubscribe.
ARRET The exact same response as STOP, but translated into French.

Approved Sender IDs & Number Types

Unlike many global markets, Canada does not support Alphanumeric Sender IDs (e.g., sending from "YOURBRAND"). You must use one of three carrier-sanctioned numeric types:

  • Short Codes (5-6 digits): Best for high-volume marketing. Requires a 3–7 week CWTA vetting and approval process.
  • Toll-Free Numbers (10 digits): Ideal for customer support and alerts. Mandatory Toll-Free Sender Verification (TFSV) is required to prevent blocking.
  • 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code): Suited for low-volume, 1-to-1 conversational SMS. Requires brand registration.

Using Sinch Engage: Sinch streamlines this process by handling the procurement and carrier verification for all number types. This includes managing CWTA short code applications, handling TFSV submissions, and even text-enabling your existing 1-800 voice numbers so you don't have to change providers.

Message Content and Delivery

  • Character Limits: Mandatory keyword responses (like HELP or STOP) are strictly limited to 160 characters.
  • Opt-out Fulfillment: You must process all opt-out requests within 72 hours of the user texting "STOP" or "ARRET".

Important: Canadian carriers actively block campaigns that violate content policies.

  • SHAFT Content: Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco are heavily restricted (e.g., alcohol requires a robust MM/DD/YYYY age-gate).
  • Collections & Loans: Debt collection and payday loans are generally prohibited on Canadian networks.

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