A Complete Guide to Ground Shipping in Canada: Costs, Timelines, and Benefits

For eCommerce businesses, ground shipping is considered the most cost-effective and reliable shipping method for delivering domestic shipments to Canada.

Ground shipping uses land transportation such as trucks or trains, which makes it a budget-friendly option for businesses to ship non-urgent items across the country. 

Compared to air freight, ground shipping in Canada is more affordable, enabling businesses to offer cheaper shipping fees to customers or even offer free shipping on certain orders. 

Although ground shipping’s delivery times are slightly longer than air freight’s, this service offers reliable delivery and quality tracking within Canada. 

Canada has extensive road networks, and ground shipping can reach most addresses efficiently. 

You can ship various types of items via Canada ground shipping, starting from small packages to larger items, depending on the carrier’s capacity. 

A carrier may have limitations on the size and weight of packages it can ship via ground shipping. 

Standard ground shipping in Canada is also a more environmentally friendly method as it produces fewer emissions. 

It is crucial to select the right carrier based on your shipping requirements and budget. This guide will help you understand how to choose a suitable carrier, as well as the cheapest ground shipping in Canada, timelines, and benefits. Find out the cheapest shipping options in Canada here.

What is Ground Shipping?

Ground shipping is a type of shipping that happens on land instead of by air or by sea. Generally, it is the most cost-effective delivery method for domestic shipping, and the packages are transported by road or rail. 

Although ground shipping is common for domestic orders, it is also useful for the last-mile delivery of imported items. 

For example, a shipper sends an item from a foreign country to a port, from where the sender can arrange for ground shipping to the final destination.

Whether you own a business and are looking for an efficient shipping method for customers or are an individual sending a personal package, you need to understand various shipping options. If you have non-urgent items, ground shipping can significantly reduce both cost and delivery times.

Online shoppers often abandon shopping carts because the shipping fee is too expensive. However, ground shipping can help by offering 2-day shipping at a low cost.

A common misconception around ground shipping is speed. Usually, ground shipping is considered the slowest among other shipping options. Although it’s true on some occasions, it’s not always the case. 

Depending on the location you are shipping from, you can leverage ground shipping and still deliver packages on time and meet customer expectations. 

Ground shipping speed is slower and more expensive when packages are shipped to higher shipping zones. Zone 1 is the nearest area to the fulfillment center from where you are shipping, and places farther from Zone 1 are the higher the zones. 

If you ship to an area within the same zone where your warehouse is located, the packages can be shipped faster and affordably via ground shipping. 

Also, by using a 3PL, you can offer faster and more cost-effective shipping via ground by splitting inventory across multiple fulfillment centers.  

One common concern about ground shipping is its impact on the environment. Although it’s not as bad as air shipping, ground shipping emits carbon footprints. Fortunately, eCommerce businesses have many options to reduce their carbon footprint.

Businesses can fulfill their orders themselves or outsource this task, and they can still be able to do eco-friendly shipping. For example, businesses can use biodegradable material ideal for recycling or shipping packages in containers called SIOC packaging.

Major Carriers Offering Ground Shipping Services

The first thing you need to consider is which major carrier(s) you want to associate your business with for delivering packages via ground shipping. 

Here are the major carriers that offer ground shipping services: 

Canada Post

Canada Post offers several ground shipping services, including: 

Regular Parcel

Canada Post ground shipping time ranges from 2 business days for local deliveries to 9 business days for national shipments from a major urban center. 

XpressPost

Canada Post offers next-day delivery for most local and regional addresses from major urban centers, and 2-day delivery for national shipments. 

Priority

Priority is the fastest shipping option of Canada Post, with guaranteed next-business-day delivery between major urban centers.

UPS Ground Shipping

UPS Ground Shipping time takes 1 to 5 days and the shipping costs depend on packaging and dimensions. Extra-large shipping boxes will cost more. 

Additionally, the carrier offers Saturday Delivery for UPS Ground transport, enabling you to ship to your customers during the weekend. Read more on UPS Canada shipping rates here

FedEx Ground Shipping

FedEx ground shipping time is in 1 to 5 business days, with services available from Monday to Friday. The carrier ships packages weighing up to 150 pounds, 108” in length, and 165” in length plus girth. 

FedEx Ground Shipping offers competitive shipping rates, which helps eCommerce businesses afford shipping and provide cheaper shipping fees to their customers. Read more on Fedex Canada’s shipping rates here.

Purolator Ground Shipping

The ground shipping service of Purolator is a budget-friendly option to overnight shipping of non-urgent packages. It’s also called ‘deferred service.’ 

Here are more details about Purolator’s ground shipping service:

Delivery Timeline

Purolator ground shipping time is within 2 to 5 business days, depending on the destination. 

Available Delivery Options

Purolator Ground comes with two delivery options:

• Purolator Ground 9 am: Delivers packages by 9 am in major cities 
• Purolator Ground Evening: Delivers packages between 5:30 pm and 9 pm to many major cities 

If it is within the same province, Purolator Ground shipping delivers packages within 1 to 3 business days. 

With an additional charge, Purolator offers Saturday delivery for Canadian or US destinations.

DHL Ground Shipping

DHL Canada offers various ground shipping services, including:

DHL Parcel

This is a standard shipping service that is usually slower and more affordable. 

DHL Express

This shipping method offers faster, time-sensitive deliveries, usually within 1 to 3 business days.

Road Freight

This shipping service offers defined shipping times of 1 to 5 days, based on the origin and destination. This method also offers scheduled and on-demand departures without single-shipment surcharges. 

Canpar Ground Shipping

Canpar provides a reliable and cost-effective ground shipping service across Canada. You can easily track your packages and schedule them for pickup. Canpar ground shipping time is within 1 to 4 business days. 

Here are more details about Canpar’s ground shipping service:

Transportation Times

You can estimate the delivery timeline of a shipment by using the days in Transit calculator. Enter the postal codes of the sender and receiver to get the transit time. 

Dimensional Weight

If the actual weight of a package is less than its actual size, Canpar applies dimensional weight to calculate the shipping cost. For ground shipping, Canpar uses a minimum of 12.4 pounds per cubic foot.

Scheduled Pickups

Canpar Express will pick up shipments from your location. 

Detailed Analysis of Ground Shipping Costs and Timelines by Carrier

Canada Post

Canada Post offers a wide range of shipping services, including: 

• Regular Parcel: A regular service with a delivery timeline of 2 to 4 business days; 
• Expedited Parcel: An expedited service with a delivery timeline of 2 to 4 business days; 
• Xpresspost: A shipping service with a delivery timeline of 1 to 3 business days; 
• Priority: The fastest shipping option, with a delivery timeline of 2 to 3 business days. Priority shipping within Canada can cost between $14.73 and $230.35, depending on the destination. 
• Small Shipping Program: This shipping program is for businesses shipping fewer than 1,250 parcels in Canada or fewer than 750 parcels across borders annually.  

You can use the rate comparison tool of Canada Post to find the prices of different shipping options. 

Ground shipping times can vary depending on the distance, traffic, and weather.

Canada Post ground shipping rates start at CA$ 22.29.

UPS Canada

UPS ground shipping cost and timelines in Canada depend on several factors, including: 

• Parcel weight and dimensions: UPS rates are based on the weight and dimensions of the package. 
• Destination: The destination of the parcel affects the base shipping rate. 
• Additional services: UPS rates also include additional services like tracking and insurance. 
• Fuel surcharges: Fuel surcharges vary according to market conditions. 

UPS offers Saturday delivery at additional cost for eligible parcels to major Canadian cities.

The starting price of ground shipping is CA$ 29.72.

FedEx Canada

FedEx Canada Ground shipping takes 1 to 7 business days and is available to all provinces in Canada. 

The cost of shipping depends on the weight and size of the package. The starting price of FedEx ground shipping rate is CA$ 21.25.

Here are more details about FedEx Ground shipping: 

• Parcel size and weight: Packages can weigh up to 150 lbs (68 kg) each, or up to 108 in (274 cm) in length. 
• Delivery time: FedEx Ground shipping delivers packages by the end of the day. 
• Money-back guarantee: FedEx Ground shipping comes with the FedEx Money-Back Guarantee. 
• Rate quote: On fedex.ca, you can use the “Get Rates and Transit Times” tool to get a rate quote and estimated delivery time.

Purolator

To calculate Purolator shipping costs, you can use the Purolator Rate Guide and the Purolator Zone Guide. The starting price of Purolator ground shipping is CA$ 14.95.

The shipping rate is based on: 

• The origin postal code
• The parcel weight
• The packaging of the parcel
• The delivery speed
• The destination postal code, zip code, or country

Use the Purolator Zone Guide to find the Zone Table that relates to the shipment’s destination.

Locate the destination and its respective zone, which is represented by a zone code.

Choose the preferred delivery service option.

Canpar

The details about Canpar’s ground shipping costs and timelines are below:

• Delivery Timeline: Canpar’s ground shipping takes 1 to 4 business days. 
• Pickup: Canpar offers scheduled pickup for free. 
• Tracking: Canpar provides a tracking feature with ground shipping. 
• Weight: The maximum weight per package for domestic ground shipping is 150 pounds. 
• Rate calculator: Canpar has a rate calculator on its website. 
• Guaranteed delivery: Canpar offers a guarantee of on-time delivery for eligible packages. 

DHL

DHL Canada ground shipping takes 3 to 8 business days on average. The shipping cost of a DHL package can depend on several factors, including: 

• The actual weight of the package;
• The space a package takes up on a vehicle is also known as the volumetric weight;
• The origin and destination of the shipment

If you are shipping as a private person or a business customer:

• Fill out your package details
• Get the estimated shipping costs
• Continue with online booking

The starting price of ground shipping is CA$ 14.99. 

Factors Influencing Shipping Costs and Delivery Times

Factors influencing shipping costs and delivery times for carriers in Canada are below:

Package Dimensions and Weight

This is one of the key factors for calculating shipping costs. Simply put, the larger the package, the higher the shipping cost. 

The same applies to package weight – a heavier package will cost more.

Although you cannot do anything about the product weight, the packaging you choose can make a difference. The shipping box should be big enough to hold your items, but snug enough to keep dimensions to the minimum to avoid increasing your shipping costs.

Location

Besides the size and weight of the package, the origin and destination are also important factors that affect shipping costs. Remember that the further the package travels, the higher the shipping cost. 

Types of Services

In Canada, the type of shipping service you choose can affect the shipping cost. If you opt for faster delivery options like express shipping, it will be more expensive compared to slower, ground-based services. The latter is cheaper but takes longer to reach the destination.

Fuel Costs

Frequent changes in fuel prices directly affect shipping costs as fuel is a major expense for carriers. 

Peak Season

The high volume of orders during peak seasons like holidays can increase shipping costs due to potential capacity constraints. 

Customs & Duties

If you’re sending packages across international borders, one issue that you face is dealing with customs and duties. Often it becomes difficult for both the retailer and the customer to know what extra fees they have to pay.

Regulations

Complying with the shipping regulations, including hazardous materials can affect shipping costs.

Calculate your shipping costs using the shipping cost calculator.

How Long Does Ground Delivery Service Take?

Ground shipping generally takes 3 to 7 business days, depending on the location. For example, the estimated delivery timeline for Canada Post is 2 business days for local addresses, 3 business days for provincial addresses, and 4 business days in Canada.

Delivery timelines may vary based on the distance and a carrier can’t give any guaranteed delivery timeline. Factors like peak season volume and holidays can also affect delivery times.

Various factors influence the ground shipping delivery time, including the size and weight of the package, the distance between the origin and destination, weather conditions, Traffic congestion, and logistics issues.

Carriers don’t count weekends and major holidays as transit days for Ground shipping. Also, ground shipping does not deliver packages on Saturday or Sunday as a standard process. However, alternatives are available for weekend and holiday deliveries.

Shipping services that transport packages by road will rarely be the fastest option available. If you have packages that need urgent delivery, it is ideal to choose a same-day, next-day, or overnight mailing option, even though shipping costs will be higher. 

There are several factors that will affect the final shipping cost. It will depend on the distance and things like weather, traffic conditions, and other factors. 

If you are sending a package from one coast to the other, it will likely take 5 days. However, if the package is only going to the next state, it could be delivered within 2 days.

Benefits of Ground Shipping for E-commerce Businesses 

One of the key features of ground shipping is its cost-effectiveness. Unlike air shipping, which has higher shipping costs due to fuel and expedited handling, ground shipping can save costs significantly.

Here are the benefits of ground shipping for eCommerce business:

Cost-Efficiency

For eCommerce businesses having tight budgets, ground shipping offers an affordable solution. 

Since this shipping method uses pre-scheduled land routes, the overall shipping costs are often lower than air or sea shipping. 

Ground shipping also allows businesses to get bulk shipping discounts, which can be a game-changer for handling large volumes of packages.

Diverse Shipment Sizes

You can ship diverse products via ground shipping starting from small parcels to bulky freight loads. 

This versatility helps eCommerce businesses ship different types of items together. 

By consolidating various shipments, eCommerce businesses can eliminate operational complexity and streamline their logistics processes.

Reliable Tracking

Ground shipping provides a reliable tracking facility that helps eCommerce businesses track the whereabouts of their orders. 

Equipped with modern GPS systems, tracking packages has become much easier, enabling both shippers and recipients to monitor packages in real time. 

This improves transparency and reduces the possibility of packages getting lost or delayed, and it will ensure customer satisfaction.

Low Handling Risks

Packages shipped via ground methods generally face fewer handling stages than air or sea freight, where containers may undergo frequent loading and unloading. 

Fewer touchpoints can reduce the chance of damage during transit, an important factor for products that are fragile or high-value. For businesses, this often results in fewer product losses and improved customer satisfaction.

Environmental Impact

With growing concern regarding environmental issues, ground shipping is often considered a more eco-friendly option compared to air shipping. 

Ground shipping emits significantly lesser carbon footprints per shipment. 

Particularly, rail freight is one of the most environmentally friendly means of moving goods. It provides an alternative that minimizes the environmental impact while fulfilling transportation needs.

Comparative Analysis: Choosing the Right Carrier for Your Business

When doing a comparative analysis of shipping carriers in Canada, you need to consider the following factors: 

Delivery Speed: A few carriers offer faster delivery options than others.

Cost: Carriers like Canada Post and ShippingChimp offer discounted rates to businesses, which makes it easier for them to afford shipping. 

Reliable Service: Some carriers have a good reputation for providing reliable service and meeting deadlines. 

International Shipping: Some carriers have extensive international shipping networks, and can even ship to embargoed countries.

Canada Post

Canada Post is the national courier of Canada and offers reliable and cost-effective ground shipping options for small to medium-sized packages. Canada Post is mainly suitable for shipping to remote regions.

Canada Post also provides additional services like mail forwarding and community mailboxes catering to diverse customers’ needs across Canada.

Purolator

Known for fast, reliable, and affordable ground shipping, Purolator strikes a perfect balance between speed and cost. They also provide flexible delivery options and responsive customer service.

FedEx

Global shipping giant FedEx provides efficient ground shipping service, competitive shipping rates, and advanced package tracking technology. The carrier excels in precision and punctuality with options for expedited deliveries.

UPS

With an extensive global network, UPS offers excellent ground shipping service, reasonable shipping rates, and customizable packaging solutions. All these features make the carrier ideal for diverse business needs.

Regional Carriers

Carriers like Maritime-Ontario Freight Lines and Manitoulin Transport offer customized shipping solutions and local expertise. They provide efficient handling and delivery across specific regions of Canada.

Tips for Optimizing Ground Shipping Efficiency

Review Your Current Shipping Method

You need to first review your existing shipping process before you start streamlining it. Go through your whole shipping workflow and identify its pain areas. 

Analyze if those pain areas are causing higher shipping costs or longer transportation times and replace those with more effective ones.

Optimize delivery routes

Check your delivery routing and try to make them shorter if possible. Longer routing increases shipping costs with more fuel consumption and labor charges. 

Analyze historical shipping data and identify frequent shipping destinations such as warehouses, locations of suppliers, etc. 

You can optimize the delivery routes by using optimization software that factors in all the variables during the process.

Automate Shipping-related Tasks

Automation can significantly reduce your logistics costs. New technologies help save costs and make it easy to complete the daily tasks.  

By integrating shipping software with your order management system, you can achieve more efficient cargo shipping. 

Appropriate Packaging

Appropriate packaging can help you reduce shipping costs and time duration. The most important thing you need to do is pack your shipments in shipping boxes with the right dimensions. 

By choosing the right sizes of packages, you avoid wasting space and reduce the transportation cost of shipping containers.

Digitalize Essential Documents

If a shipment does not have the necessary documentation, it will automatically be delayed. You can prevent that by digitizing the documents. 

Learn about reducing shipping costs for eCommerce businesses.

Conclusion

It is crucial to understand various aspects of ground shipping. This includes learning about delivery timelines, shipping rates, and service options. This knowledge will help you make informed decisions regarding your logistics and budget requirements.

Ground shipping transports items over land using trucks or trains. Typically, ground shipping is less expensive than air freight services and can handle larger packages, whereas air freight services are more costly. 

There are carriers in Canada that specialize in ground shipping, and offer reliable service that balances speed and affordability. 

Choosing the right shipping carrier for your business needs careful consideration balancing cost, delivery speed, and other benefits. With the extensive networks of major carriers, you can find the most effective solutions to meet your shipping needs. 

FAQs

Q: How do I choose the best ground shipping carrier for my e-commerce business?

Ans: To choose the best ground shipping carrier for your e-commerce business, consider factors like your shipping volume, delivery area, package size and weight, desired delivery speed, cost per shipment, reliability of the carrier, tracking capabilities, customer service, and any special services they offer.

Q: How long does ground shipping in Canada take?

Ans: Ground shipping within Canada typically takes between 1 and 7 business days, depending on the distance and the shipping carrier used, with most deliveries occurring within 3 to 6 business days for regional shipments and 4 to 10 days for national addresses.

Q: What’s the difference between ground shipping and regular shipping?

Ans: Ground shipping is a type of regular shipping that uses road or rail transport to deliver packages: 

Ground shipping

Uses freight services and road or rail transport to deliver packages. It’s usually the cheapest option for domestic deliveries. Ground shipping can take 1 to 5 days, depending on the distance between the origin and destination. 

Regular shipping

Also known as standard shipping, this is an economy shipping option that uses surface carriers to deliver packages. It typically takes 3 to 7 business days.

Q: What factors affect delivery times for ground shipping within Canada?

Ans: Factors affecting delivery times for ground shipping within Canada include: distance between origin and destination, weather conditions, peak shipping seasons, carrier service level, geographical location, rural delivery areas, package size and weight, customs clearance (if applicable), transportation bottlenecks, and potential disruptions due to road closures or construction. Essentially, the further the distance, the longer the delivery time. 

Q: Are there weight or size limitations for ground shipping with major carriers?

Ans: All major ground shipping carriers like UPS, FedEx, and USPS have established weight and size limitations for packages, and exceeding these limits will typically result in additional charges or package rejection depending on the carrier’s policy. 

Most carriers have a maximum weight limit for ground packages, usually around 70 pounds.

Q: Do you get tracking with ground shipping?

Ans: Most ground shipping services offer tracking: 

UPS: You can track UPS Ground items using UPS My Choice. You can also track UPS Ground packages using TrackingMore. 

USPS: You can track USPS packages using the USPS Tracking page. 

FedEx: FedEx offers real-time tracking for ground shipping.