Vertical polymer design features Vimy Ridge memorial and environmental motif
The Bank of Canada unveiled a new $20 banknote on Thursday bearing the portrait of King Charles III — the first new monarch to appear on Canadian currency in more than 70 years, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022. The vertical, polymer note will enter circulation early next year, Governor Tiff Macklem said at the central bank’s unveiling event.
Macklem called Thursday “a very special day” as the central bank revealed the design. The new $20 is Canada’s second vertical banknote, following the $10 bill depicting Viola Desmond, a Black civil rights advocate. The Desmond design was selected as best in the world in 2018 by the International Bank Note Society.
The reverse of the new $20 shows the Vimy Ridge memorial in France, commemorating Canada’s role in World War I. A floral and leafy tapestry “inspired by the King’s lifetime dedication to the environment” also appears on the note, according to the Bank of Canada.
Wayne Long, a Liberal member of Parliament and secretary of state for the Canada Revenue Agency, said at the unveiling that the symbols on the banknote “serve as a powerful reminder of who we are as a nation and what we value.” Some design elements were chosen in consultation with an Indigenous advisory council, the central bank said.
Canada is the first Commonwealth country outside Britain to feature King Charles on its banknotes since his ascension to the throne. New Zealand and Australia have displayed the King on their coins, but Australia has said it will not feature him on banknotes. Instead, Australia said, it will release a new $5 note paying tribute to “the culture and history” of Indigenous Australians to replace the current design featuring Queen Elizabeth II.
Polling suggests many Canadians believe the country should end its formal ties to the British monarchy, particularly in the French-speaking province of Quebec. The monarchy’s popularity received a small bump amid ongoing tensions between Canada and the United States — including the trade war and President Donald Trump’s comments about making Canada the “51st state.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney invited the King to open Canada’s parliament in May — a visit that Carney said “clearly underscores the sovereignty of our country.” The King is Canada’s head of state and is represented in Canada by Governor General Louise Arbour.