100 Dollars

The 2011 polymer series marked a significant production shift for the Bank of Canada — moving away from cotton-rag paper stock that had defined Canadian currency for over a century. The $100 was the first denomination released in November 2011, ahead of the lower values, a deliberate sequencing choice driven by counterfeiting risk. Early distribution was plagued by complaints that notes stuck together in cold weather and became brittle; the Bank acknowledged the issue and attributed it to handling technique rather than a manufacturing defect, a response that satisfied almost nobody.

Printed by the Canadian Bank Note Company in Ottawa, the series introduced a large transparent window with a laser-etched element — at the time among the more technically demanding security features in North American circulation.