Bank of Canada Unveils New $20 Banknote Featuring King Charles III

Key facts

• Bank of Canada unveiled a new $20 banknote featuring King Charles III, marking the first time his portrait appears on a Canadian banknote.
• The new $20 banknote will gradually enter circulation from late February 2027.
• The $20 banknote has a vertical design, making it the second Canadian banknote to use this format after the $10 note featuring Viola Desmond.
• The front of the note features Charles' portrait surrounded by a floral and leafy pattern inspired by his interest in environmental issues.
• The note includes floral emblems representing Canada's 13 provinces and territories.
• A circular window on the note features plants of cultural significance to Indigenous Peoples, developed with input from the Bank of Canada's Indigenous Advisory Circle.
• The reverse of the note features the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.
• Canada is the first Commonwealth country outside Britain to feature Charles on banknotes since he became King.
• Australia and New Zealand have placed Charles' portrait on some coins, but Australia has said it will not put him on its banknotes.
• Queen Elizabeth II's portrait had appeared on Canadian banknotes since 1935, making the new $20 the first to feature a different monarch in more than 70 years.
• The $10 note featuring Viola Desmond was the first Canadian vertical banknote and was named the world's best banknote in 2018 by the International Bank Note Society.