By Setting up home internet is one of the first things on every newcomer's list in Vancouver — usually right after a phone plan and a bank account. But the Vancouver market is unusual: the provider you can actually get depends heavily on your building, not just your postal code. A high-rise condo in Yaletown and a rented basement suite in Burnaby can have completely different options. This guide explains who the real providers are in 2026, the difference between fibre and cable, and how to pick the right plan without overpaying or getting locked into a contract you don't need.
Quick Answer: Which internet provider is best in Vancouver?
For the best performance, Telus PureFibre is the top choice if it's available at your address — it runs on true fibre-to-the-home with symmetrical upload and download speeds. For the lowest price with no contract, independent resellers like oxio and TekSavvy (which run on the Rogers cable network) are usually cheapest. If you live in a newer condo, check Novus first — it's often the built-in option and includes the router with no contract. Always confirm availability and the final price at your exact address before ordering, because both change building-to-building.
Summary: Vancouver internet comes down to three things: what's wired into your building, fibre vs cable, and whether you want a contract. Check availability by address first, then compare price and term.
The main internet providers in Vancouver (2026)
There are essentially three tiers of provider in the Vancouver market.
Incumbent fibre — Telus. Telus PureFibre is fibre-to-the-home, meaning the fibre line runs directly into your unit. Its defining advantage is symmetrical speed: upload is as fast as download, which matters for video calls, working from home, cloud backups and uploading large files. Telus offers tiers well beyond 1 Gbps in Metro Vancouver, including 3 Gigabit and a flagship 5 Gigabit plan in select areas. Pricing shifts constantly with promotions, mobility bundle discounts and your term, so treat any quoted figure as a snapshot — confirm the checkout price for your address.
Incumbent cable — Rogers (formerly Shaw). If you remember Shaw, note that the Shaw consumer brand has been retired. Rogers completed its acquisition of Shaw in April 2023, and the former Shaw cable internet is now sold under the Rogers Xfinity brand across Western Canada. The old "My Shaw" account portal migrated to "My Rogers (Shaw)" during the 2024–2025 rebrand. Rogers Xfinity runs on coaxial cable, so download speeds reach into the gigabit range but uploads are much lower than Telus fibre. It's a strong option where PureFibre isn't available or where a TV/mobile bundle lowers your total cost.
Independents and resellers — oxio, TekSavvy, Novus. These providers are usually the value play. oxio and TekSavvy buy wholesale access to the Rogers cable network and resell it with simpler pricing, no long-term contracts and Canadian-based support. In Vancouver comparison rankings, oxio has consistently scored at the top of the customer-satisfaction tables. Novus is different — it's a facilities-based fibre provider that has wired its own network into over 1,000 buildings across Metro Vancouver. Where it's available, Novus is often excellent value and includes the router and installation with no contract.
Summary: Telus = best fibre performance. Rogers Xfinity = cable, good for bundles. oxio/TekSavvy = cheap, no-contract cable. Novus = building-specific fibre, often the default in newer condos.
Fibre vs cable: what actually matters
Two technologies dominate Vancouver, and the difference is real:
- Fibre (Telus PureFibre, Novus): glass fibre into your home, symmetrical speeds, very low latency, highly reliable. Best for remote work, gaming and households with many devices.
- Cable (Rogers Xfinity, plus oxio/TekSavvy reselling cable): fast downloads, much slower uploads, shared neighbourhood capacity that can slow at peak times. Perfectly fine for streaming and browsing, and usually cheaper.
If you work from home and upload a lot, fibre is worth prioritizing. If you mostly stream Netflix and browse, a cheaper cable plan from a reseller is the smarter spend.
The condo and rental catch
This is the single most important thing for newcomers to understand: availability is per-building. Novus, in particular, is wired into specific buildings — many newer condo developments include it as an option from move-in day, while an older walk-up across the street may have no Novus at all. Telus PureFibre availability also depends on whether fibre has been pulled to your unit.
Before you sign anything:
- Get your exact address (unit number included).
- Run it through each provider's online availability checker.
- If you rent, ask your landlord or strata what's already wired — sometimes there's existing cabling that makes one provider far cheaper to activate.
Skipping this step is how people end up paying for an install that wasn't needed.
Contracts, fees and cancellation
Plans, fees and cancellation rules vary by provider and change often, so confirm the current terms before ordering rather than trusting a number from a blog. As a rule of thumb in 2026:
- Independents (oxio, TekSavvy, Novus) typically have no contract, no early-termination penalty, and often include the router and installation. This is ideal if you're not sure how long you'll stay in a place — common for newcomers in their first year.
- Incumbents (Telus, Rogers) often advertise their best pricing on a 1- or 2-year term, which can mean an early-cancellation charge if you leave early. Bundling with mobile or TV can lower the total, but read the term carefully.
If your housing situation is still settling, a no-contract reseller is the lower-risk choice. You can always switch to a discounted Telus or Rogers term once you're settled.
Summary: No-contract independents are the safest pick for a first-year newcomer. Only commit to a 1–2 year incumbent term once your address is stable and the bundle math actually saves you money.
How to set up internet as a newcomer
You don't need a Canadian credit history to get most internet plans, but some incumbents may ask for ID, a deposit, or run a credit check for postpaid accounts. A few practical tips:
- Having a Canadian bank account set up first makes autopay (and the autopay discount) easy.
- If you're asked for a deposit because you have no credit file, building credit early helps — see our guide on how to build a credit score in Canada fast.
- Internet is a recurring fixed cost worth budgeting from day one; we break down the full picture in the Vancouver cost of living guide for newcomers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Shaw still an internet provider in Vancouver?
No. The Shaw consumer brand has been retired. Rogers completed its acquisition of Shaw in April 2023, and the former Shaw cable internet is now sold as Rogers Xfinity across Western Canada. Existing Shaw customers were migrated to Rogers billing and the My Rogers (Shaw) portal.
What is the fastest internet in Vancouver?
Telus PureFibre offers the fastest and most consistent speeds, with symmetrical tiers reaching up to 5 Gigabit in select areas. Because it's true fibre, uploads are as fast as downloads — a major advantage over cable for remote work and video calls.
What is the cheapest internet in Vancouver?
The lowest prices typically come from no-contract independents that resell cable access, such as oxio and TekSavvy, and from Novus where it's available in your building. These plans usually include the router and have no early-termination fee. Confirm the current price at your address before ordering.
Do I need a contract to get home internet in Vancouver?
No. Independent providers (oxio, TekSavvy, Novus) generally offer no-contract, month-to-month service — ideal for newcomers who aren't sure how long they'll stay at one address. The big carriers (Telus, Rogers) reserve their lowest pricing for 1- or 2-year terms.
Can I get internet without a Canadian credit history?
Usually yes. No-contract resellers rarely run a hard credit check. Some incumbents may request ID or a small deposit for new accounts without a credit file. Setting up autopay from a Canadian bank account often unlocks a discount.
How do I find out which providers serve my building?
Use each provider's online availability checker with your full unit address, and ask your landlord or strata what's already wired. Availability in Vancouver is building-specific — especially for Novus fibre and Telus PureFibre — so two units on the same street can have different options.
References
- Telus — Home Internet & PureFibre Plans (Western Canada) — official PureFibre tiers, speeds and coverage.
- Rogers — Shaw Branding Updated to Rogers Branding — confirms the Shaw-to-Rogers Xfinity transition and account migration.
- Rogers — Introducing Rogers Xfinity — current Rogers Xfinity cable internet plans in Western Canada.
- Novus — Internet Plans — fibre tiers, included router/installation and no-contract terms.
- Novus — Check Availability — building-by-building availability checker.
- oxio — Internet Plans — no-contract cable internet on the Rogers network.
- TekSavvy — Home Internet Plans — independent reseller, no-contract cable and DSL options.