British Pound to Canadian Dollar exchange rate history 1971 to 2026: oil and UK policy
One British Pound bought 2.4682 CAD in 1971 and 1.8644 CAD in 2026. Oil and UK policy. The series covers 56 years of annual data.
- 2026 avg
- 1.8644
- year to date
- Highest avg
- 2.7181
- 1980
- Lowest avg
- 1.5842
- 2012
- Traded range
- 1.4581 to 2.8968
- low 1985, high 1980
Source: Federal Reserve H.10 cross rate (DEXUSUK ÷ DEXCAUS). Latest daily observation 2026-10-30.
Annual averages of daily observations.
GBP/CAD since 1971
British Pound to Canadian Dollar averaged 2.4682 CAD in 1971 and 1.8424 CAD in 2025, 25.4% lower across 55 complete years.
The annual average has ranged from 1.5842 in 2012 to 2.7181 in 1980. On individual trading days the series reached 1.4581 and 2.8968, a ratio of 2 to 1.
What moves GBP/CAD
GBP: Sterling is a free-floating currency with a long history of fixed parities before 1971 and a large financial services sector.
CAD: The Canadian dollar is a commodity-linked currency closely tied to the United States, its largest trading partner.
For GBP/CAD, the GBP leg responds to Bank of England policy, UK inflation, Brexit and trade relations, while the CAD leg responds to oil and commodity prices, US demand, Bank of Canada and Federal Reserve policy. The exchange rate is the market's attempt to balance the two sets of forces.
Oil, UK policy and GBP/CAD
GBP/CAD includes a commodity currency. The Canadian dollar is a commodity-linked currency closely tied to the United States, its largest trading partner.
Canada's oil exports and close US ties give the Canadian dollar a different cycle from sterling. The link runs through the terms of trade: a higher export price raises national income and usually supports the exporter's currency, while a fall does the opposite. The pair reflects UK inflation and Bank of England policy against North American energy and US demand.
The data shows that sensitivity but not a mechanical rule. The average moved -25.4% over 55 complete years, and the traded range ran from 1.4581 in 1985 to 2.8968 in 1980.
The five largest GBP/CAD moves
Ranked by absolute year-end change, the five largest moves were 1985 (+32.0%), 1977 (+22.2%), 1981 (-20.4%), 1987 (+19.8%), 1990 (+19.7%). The biggest was 1985, when the rate moved from 1.5305 to 2.0208, a change of 32.0%.
Across 55 complete years the pair rose in 28 and fell in 25. The average annual change was 0.0% with a standard deviation of 11.2 percentage points, which is one way to compare its volatility with other pairs.
GBP/CAD by decade
Grouped by decade, the annual average was 2.2512 in 1971-1979 and 1.7412 in 2020-2026. The widest decade-to-decade change was -21.5% between 2000-2009 and 2010-2019, when the average moved from 2.1695 to 1.7039.
The final bucket, 2020-2026, is a partial decade and includes the year-to-date 2026 average. The table below shows every bucket with its high and low, so the short-run moves and the long-run level can be read together.
How to read the GBP/CAD data
This is a derived cross rate. Each day's GBP/CAD is calculated from the two US dollar legs in Federal Reserve H.10 cross rate (DEXUSUK ÷ DEXCAUS), joined on the same calendar date with up to seven days of holiday carry-forward. No figure on this page is estimated or interpolated.
GBP/CAD annual average, 1971 to 2026
Annual average with the full trading range for each year. average high–low range
Source: Federal Reserve H.10 cross rate (DEXUSUK ÷ DEXCAUS). Figures are annual averages of daily observations.
GBP to CAD exchange rate by year
Every year since 1971: annual average, the year high and low, the year-end rate, and the change on the previous year.
| Year | Average | High | Low | Year end | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 2.4682 | 2.5581 | 2.4193 | 2.5581 | n/a |
| 1972 | 2.4806 | 2.6358 | 2.2892 | 2.3377 | -8.6% |
| 1973 | 2.4531 | 2.5818 | 2.3056 | 2.3132 | -1.1% |
| 1974 | 2.2885 | 2.3485 | 2.1570 | 2.3268 | +0.6% |
| 1975 | 2.2594 | 2.4284 | 2.0418 | 2.0575 | -11.6% |
| 1976 | 1.7804 | 2.0630 | 1.5201 | 1.7170 | -16.6% |
| 1977 | 1.8563 | 2.0983 | 1.7103 | 2.0983 | +22.2% |
| 1978 | 2.1890 | 2.4557 | 2.0055 | 2.4226 | +15.5% |
| 1979 | 2.4855 | 2.7228 | 2.3249 | 2.5921 | +7.0% |
| 1980 | 2.7181 | 2.8968 | 2.5427 | 2.8537 | +10.1% |
| 1981 | 2.4262 | 2.8867 | 2.1396 | 2.2718 | -20.4% |
| 1982 | 2.1571 | 2.2854 | 1.9531 | 1.9897 | -12.4% |
| 1983 | 1.8683 | 1.9969 | 1.7699 | 1.8064 | -9.2% |
| 1984 | 1.7294 | 1.8695 | 1.5305 | 1.5305 | -15.3% |
| 1985 | 1.7728 | 2.0669 | 1.4581 | 2.0208 | +32.0% |
| 1986 | 2.0393 | 2.1436 | 1.9400 | 2.0473 | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 2.1734 | 2.4522 | 2.0098 | 2.4522 | +19.8% |
| 1988 | 2.1925 | 2.4386 | 2.0156 | 2.1572 | -12.0% |
| 1989 | 1.9403 | 2.1701 | 1.8160 | 1.8696 | -13.3% |
| 1990 | 2.0806 | 2.3008 | 1.8696 | 2.2380 | +19.7% |
| 1991 | 2.0259 | 2.3153 | 1.8310 | 2.1567 | -3.6% |
| 1992 | 2.1312 | 2.4122 | 1.9032 | 1.9236 | -10.8% |
| 1993 | 1.9375 | 2.0444 | 1.7766 | 1.9584 | +1.8% |
| 1994 | 2.0932 | 2.2156 | 1.9417 | 2.1978 | +12.2% |
| 1995 | 2.1666 | 2.3369 | 2.0648 | 2.1213 | -3.5% |
| 1996 | 2.1282 | 2.3453 | 2.0368 | 2.3453 | +10.6% |
| 1997 | 2.2682 | 2.4053 | 2.1575 | 2.3471 | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 2.4593 | 2.6582 | 2.3043 | 2.5566 | +8.9% |
| 1999 | 2.4029 | 2.5325 | 2.2861 | 2.3321 | -8.8% |
| 2000 | 2.2499 | 2.4011 | 2.0785 | 2.2425 | -3.8% |
| 2001 | 2.2296 | 2.3352 | 2.0817 | 2.3160 | +3.3% |
| 2002 | 2.3591 | 2.5430 | 2.2309 | 2.5430 | +9.8% |
| 2003 | 2.2871 | 2.5234 | 2.1681 | 2.3057 | -9.3% |
| 2004 | 2.3847 | 2.5223 | 2.2025 | 2.3057 | 0.0% |
| 2005 | 2.2065 | 2.4033 | 2.0034 | 2.0034 | -13.1% |
| 2006 | 2.0899 | 2.2822 | 1.9802 | 2.2822 | +13.9% |
| 2007 | 2.1465 | 2.3445 | 1.9280 | 1.9607 | -14.1% |
| 2008 | 1.9614 | 2.0611 | 1.7583 | 1.7894 | -8.7% |
| 2009 | 1.7804 | 1.9145 | 1.6368 | 1.6912 | -5.5% |
| 2010 | 1.5911 | 1.7269 | 1.4876 | 1.5406 | -8.9% |
| 2011 | 1.5855 | 1.6335 | 1.5298 | 1.5798 | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 1.5842 | 1.6194 | 1.5503 | 1.6194 | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 1.6113 | 1.7640 | 1.5262 | 1.7630 | +8.9% |
| 2014 | 1.8195 | 1.8591 | 1.7429 | 1.8072 | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 1.9548 | 2.0870 | 1.7857 | 2.0407 | +12.9% |
| 2016 | 1.7951 | 2.0763 | 1.6006 | 1.6564 | -18.8% |
| 2017 | 1.6727 | 1.7756 | 1.5886 | 1.6934 | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 1.7303 | 1.8366 | 1.6639 | 1.7414 | +2.8% |
| 2019 | 1.6943 | 1.7722 | 1.5954 | 1.7199 | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 1.7204 | 1.7815 | 1.6708 | 1.7423 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 1.7247 | 1.7770 | 1.6745 | 1.7249 | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 1.6076 | 1.7318 | 1.4711 | 1.6343 | -5.3% |
| 2023 | 1.6784 | 1.7314 | 1.6117 | 1.6823 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | 1.7508 | 1.8202 | 1.6813 | 1.8030 | +7.2% |
| 2025 | 1.8424 | 1.8857 | 1.7513 | 1.8439 | +2.3% |
| 2026 YTD | 1.8644 | 1.9003 | 1.8180 | 1.8700 | +1.4% |
1971–2026 · 55 complete calendar years. Annual figures are averages of available daily observations. 2026 is year to date: the average is based on 209 published trading days through 2026-10-30.
Five largest GBP/CAD moves
The largest absolute year-end changes in the published series, using complete calendar years only.
- 1985 +32.0% 1.5305 to 2.0208
Year-end rate moved from 1.5305 to 2.0208, a change of 32.0%.
- 1977 +22.2% 1.7170 to 2.0983
Year-end rate moved from 1.7170 to 2.0983, a change of 22.2%.
- 1981 -20.4% 2.8537 to 2.2718
Year-end rate moved from 2.8537 to 2.2718, a change of 20.4%.
- 1987 +19.8% 2.0473 to 2.4522
Year-end rate moved from 2.0473 to 2.4522, a change of 19.8%.
- 1990 +19.7% 1.8696 to 2.2380
Year-end rate moved from 1.8696 to 2.2380, a change of 19.7%.
GBP/CAD by decade
Annual averages grouped into decade buckets. The first and last buckets may cover fewer than ten years.
| Period | Average | High | Low | vs previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–1979 | 2.2512 | 2.7228 | 1.5201 | n/a |
| 1980–1989 | 2.1017 | 2.8968 | 1.4581 | -6.6% |
| 1990–1999 | 2.1694 | 2.6582 | 1.7766 | +3.2% |
| 2000–2009 | 2.1695 | 2.5430 | 1.6368 | +0.0% |
| 2010–2019 | 1.7039 | 2.0870 | 1.4876 | -21.5% |
| 2020–2026 | 1.7412 | 1.9003 | 1.4711 | +2.2% |
Average of the annual averages in each period. The first and last rows cover partial decades.
GBP/CAD history: the years that moved the rate
Each event below is dated and tied to one of the currencies in this pair.
- 1992 1992-09-16
United Kingdom leaves the Exchange Rate Mechanism
Sustained speculative selling forced the United Kingdom to withdraw sterling from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism on Black Wednesday.
- 2008 2008-09-15
Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy
The collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered a global financial crisis, a flight into the US dollar and extreme volatility across currency markets.
- 2016 2016-06-23
United Kingdom votes to leave the European Union
The Brexit referendum result triggered a sharp fall in sterling, which touched a 31-year low against the dollar in the following days.
- 2020 2020-03-15
Pandemic triggers a global dash for cash
The COVID-19 shock caused a worldwide sell-off and a surge in demand for US dollars, followed by large central bank intervention and emergency rate cuts.
GBP/CAD history: common questions
What was the GBP/CAD rate in 1971?
One GBP averaged 2.4682 CAD in 1971, with a range of 2.4193 to 2.5581 and a year-end rate of 2.5581.
What is the lowest GBP/CAD rate on record?
The lowest annual average was 1.5842 in 2012. The lowest single observation was 1.4581 in 1985.
What is the highest GBP/CAD rate on record?
The highest annual average was 2.7181 in 1980. The highest single observation was 2.8968 in 1980.
How volatile has GBP/CAD been?
Across 55 complete years the average annual change was 0.0% with a standard deviation of 11.2 percentage points. The largest drawdown was 46.4%, from 1980 to 1984.
What was the biggest single-year move in GBP/CAD?
1985 was the largest, at +32.0%. The year-end rate moved from 1.5305 to 2.0208.
How is the GBP/CAD rate calculated?
This is a derived cross rate. Each day's GBP/CAD is calculated from the two US dollar legs in Federal Reserve H.10 cross rate (DEXUSUK ÷ DEXCAUS), joined on the same date.
Query any GBP/CAD rate since 1971
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