The Bank of Canada’s 2024 Methods-of-Payment Survey (2025 analysis) reveals Canadians carried an average of $156 in cash — an 11% increase — with usage stable at 21% of purchases. Four in five have cash on hand, and 79% have no plans to stop using it. Cash remains the fair, universal payment that works for everyone, from rural communities to urban youth. It fosters financial awareness, crisis resilience, and inclusion without needing smartphones or accounts — the true democratic choice in Canada’s payment mix.