SMS Marketing in Canada: Rules, Use Cases and Setup

SMS marketing in Canada lets you reach customers on the device they carry everywhere, with a short message that is easy to read and answer. That makes it a strong fit for anything time-sensitive: a reminder for tomorrow’s appointment, a spot that just opened up or a note that a delivery is on its way.

Because texting feels personal, it also punishes mistakes. Too many messages, irrelevant offers or texts at the wrong hour lead to opt-outs quickly. Treat the channel as a conversation with people who invited you in, and keep the volume low. One careless blast can undo months of goodwill.

Under CASL, Canada’s anti-spam law, a promotional text is a commercial electronic message, the same category as promotional email. You generally need the recipient’s consent, you must identify your business and how to reach it, and every message must offer a simple way to opt out that you act on without delay and within 10 business days. Consent can be express, where someone clearly agrees, or implied in narrow cases such as a recent purchase.

Giving you a phone number to book an appointment is not automatically permission for promotions, so ask separately. Because you must be able to prove consent, store the date, the wording and the source. Quebec customers may also be covered by additional language and privacy rules. This is general information only, so check the details with a lawyer.

• Ask for permission in plain words and say what kinds of texts you will send
• Record when, where and how each person agreed
• Put your business name in every message
• Process every STOP reply straight away
• Send only the kinds of messages people signed up for

Start with messages customers already expect. Appointment reminders and confirmations are the easiest place to begin, and they can cut down on missed visits for clinics, salons, trades and any business that books time. Keep them purely informational, because adding a promotion changes how the message is treated under the law.

Once reminders are working, add small promotional campaigns for the people who asked for them. Invite your regulars to join a text list at checkout, at the front desk or through a form on your website, and tell them what to expect. Explain how to leave the list, too, so signing up feels low risk.

• Appointment reminders and rescheduling links
• Fill-the-gap offers when a cancellation opens a slot
• Order, delivery and service-visit updates
• Review requests sent after a good experience
• Time-limited offers for opted-in regulars

Lead with your business name, say one thing and give one next step, such as replying with a keyword or tapping a booking link. Write the way you would speak to a regular customer. Skip ALL CAPS, long links and vague teasers. A reminder might name the time, ask for a reply to confirm and end with the opt-out instruction.

Timing matters in a country that spans several time zones. Schedule texts for sensible daytime hours in the recipient’s local time, avoid evenings and early mornings, and keep frequency modest. For most small businesses, a couple of promotional texts a month plus the occasional reminder is plenty.

Look for a platform that handles opt-ins and STOP replies automatically, stores consent records, supports two-way replies and connects to your booking system or CRM. Ask which kind of number it uses, since a local number and a short code can differ in cost, delivery and how customers perceive the message.

Measure replies, bookings, link clicks and opt-out rate for each campaign. Email suits longer content and offers, while texts suit short and urgent messages. Both follow the same consent principles, so build one clean consent record and use it across channels. Compare each campaign with the last, and stop sending any message type that mostly produces opt-outs.

Where business messaging is heading

Customers increasingly expect to message businesses the way they message friends, and to get an answer quickly. Two-way conversations, handled by staff or AI assistants, are becoming more common, while regulators and carriers continue to watch consent and spam closely. The businesses that keep clean opt-in records and send genuinely useful messages are likely to be in a stronger position.

1. 01Two-way text conversations that mix staff and AI assistants
2. 02Richer message formats as more phones support them
3. 03Texting, email and booking tied together in one customer record

Questions & answers