GLS services overview

GLS Services at a Glance

GLS Canada keeps its parcel line-up short: five options, all within Canada. GLS Ground is the everyday service from coast to coast, GLS Express flies parcels to major cities by the next business day, and three more options cover same-day delivery and regular shippers in Quebec and Ontario. The right one depends on how soon the parcel has to arrive and where it starts and ends. You can compare live GLS rates for your exact route.

5 parcel options
150 lb per piece
120 in maximum length
ServiceWhere it runsDeliveryBest for
GLS GroundCanada coast to coast (some exceptions apply)Monday to Friday, transit time by postal codeEveryday parcels up to 150 lb
GLS ExpressFrom 12 cities in Ontario and Quebec to 20 cities in 8 provincesNext business day, by airNext-day deadlines across Canada from Ontario or Quebec
Same-daySome locations (GLS does not publish which)Same day, extra feeWhen it cannot wait until tomorrow
MaxPakAnywhere in Quebec and Ontario (some exceptions apply)OvernightUrgent documents or small items up to 50 lb
DexPakQuebec and OntarioNext day, at volume discount ratesBusinesses shipping every week in Quebec and Ontario

Source: GLS Canada, Parcel service, viewed 4 Nov 2026

What is GLS Ground

What Is GLS Ground?

Sending a box across town or across the country? GLS Ground is GLS's everyday parcel service for exactly that. It runs Monday to Friday from coast to coast (some exceptions apply) and handles envelopes, pouches and boxes of up to 150 lb (68 kg) each.

How long it takes depends on where the parcel starts and where it's going, so there's no single number of days. For an estimate on your route, enter both postal codes in GLS's transit time calculator. Weekends and holidays are covered in our GLS Delivery Times guide.

The destination also shapes what you can send. GLS serves many postal codes directly, through what it calls its direct network, and its Points List shows which ones are included. Inside that network, a piece can be up to 120 in (304 cm) long. Outside it, the limit drops to 108 in, several charges cost more, and some options, such as Saturday service and Chain of Signature, aren't available.

Source: GLS Canada Parcel Rules and Regulations (Tariff 100), effective 1 Jan 2026

GLS Express next business day service

GLS Express: Next Business Day by Air

When a parcel has to cross the country by tomorrow, GLS Express is the option. It is GLS's next-business-day air service, connecting parcels picked up in Ontario and Quebec with cities from Vancouver to St. John's.

Pickup Cities

ProvincePickup cities
OntarioBarrie, Cambridge, Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton, London, Pickering
QuebecChambly, Drummondville, Laval, Montréal, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières

Next-Business-Day Delivery Cities

ProvinceDelivery cities
British ColumbiaVancouver (some exceptions apply)
AlbertaCalgary, Edmonton
SaskatchewanRegina, Saskatoon
ManitobaWinnipeg
New BrunswickFredericton, Moncton, Saint John
Prince Edward IslandCharlottetown, Summerside
Nova ScotiaDartmouth, Halifax, New Glasgow, Sydney, Truro, Yarmouth
Newfoundland and LabradorLabrador City, Labrador-Goose Bay, St. John's

Some exceptions apply, and GLS plans to add more locations, so check the current list on GLS's parcel service page. If your parcel starts or ends somewhere else, compare next-day options from other carriers.

Source: GLS Canada, Parcel service, viewed 4 Nov 2026

GLS same-day, MaxPak and DexPak

Same-Day, MaxPak and DexPak

Need it there today, or ship often in Quebec and Ontario? GLS has three options beyond Ground and Express:

  • Same-day delivery: available in some locations for an extra fee. GLS doesn't publish which ones, so check with GLS that both addresses qualify before you count on it.
  • MaxPak: a 17 × 14 in tear-proof pack for urgent documents or small items. It holds up to 50 lb, goes overnight anywhere in Quebec and Ontario (some exceptions apply), and comes prepaid in packs of 10.
  • DexPak: GLS's volume discount programme for Quebec and Ontario. The more you ship each week, the lower your rate, with savings of up to 55% on next-day deliveries.

GLS sets out MaxPak and DexPak in its 2026 volume discount sheet, and our GLS Shipping Rates guide shows the full rate table.

Source: GLS Canada Volume Discount Rates 2026

GLS optional services and add-ons

Optional Services & Add-Ons

On top of the core services, GLS offers options you add when the shipment is created, for protection, timing, proof of delivery and special cargo. Each one comes at an extra fee, listed in our GLS Surcharges & Fees guide.

Optional serviceWhat it does
Declared ValueRaises what GLS will pay if the parcel is lost or damaged, above the standard $2 per pound, up to $5,000. A value over $100 needs GLS approval in advance. It is not insurance.
Hold for PickupGLS keeps the parcel at an authorized GLS location instead of delivering it, and calls the receiver when it is ready. It waits up to five business days.
Saturday serviceSaturday delivery, pickup or hold for pickup, in Quebec and Ontario within GLS's direct network only.
Delivery by appointmentThe driver arrives within 30 minutes before or after the time you set.
Signature Not RequiredThe parcel can be left without a signature. If something goes wrong, a claim on an unsigned delivery has to be filed within 48 hours.
Protect From FreezeExtra protection against freezing, subject to availability. GLS trucks are already heated in winter.
Chain of SignatureFor certain controlled drugs within Canada: authorized GLS staff sign at every point. For pre-authorized customers only, and not available with Saturday service.
Dangerous GoodsAccepted within Canada from authorized shippers, once a GLS Dangerous Goods Specialist has checked the shipment.

Source: GLS Canada Parcel Rules and Regulations (Tariff 100), effective 1 Jan 2026

Items GLS won't carry

What GLS Won't Carry

Before you book, check what you are sending. GLS won't carry some items at all, and it carries others only at your own risk.

  • Not accepted: live animals, insects or fish; cash, cheques, gift cards and other negotiable items; postage stamps; human remains; illegal drugs; explosives and weapons; unset precious stones; and most radioactive material. The list isn't complete, so check GLS's Tariff 100 if you are unsure.
  • Accepted at your own risk: with GLS's agreement, items such as alcohol, glass and ceramics, electronics and televisions, jewellery, antiques and art, food, tobacco, and personal, refurbished or used goods travel at your own risk. GLS will not pay for loss or damage to them, even if you declare a value.
  • No cash on delivery: GLS doesn't offer COD, and outside Quebec and Ontario it accepts collect shipments only when the receiver has a GLS Parcel account.
  • Pack for the conveyor: parcels have to survive stacking, shifting and automated sorting. Damage inside a box that looks undamaged is treated as a packing problem, and the receiver should note any damage before signing.

If your shipment falls into one of these groups, compare carriers before you ship.

Source: GLS Canada Parcel Rules and Regulations (Tariff 100), effective 1 Jan 2026

Choosing a GLS service

Which GLS Service Works for You

Start with the deadline, then where the parcel starts and ends, then what is inside. Those three answers point to the right GLS option, or tell you GLS isn't the right carrier for this one.

✈️
It has to cross Canada by tomorrow
GLS Express delivers the next business day by air from 12 cities in Ontario and Quebec to 20 cities in 8 provinces. Check that both cities are on the list above.
📦
Everyday parcels, any province
GLS Ground covers Canada coast to coast, Monday to Friday, with pieces up to 150 lb and up to 120 in long inside GLS's direct network.
⏱️
It cannot wait until tomorrow
Same-day delivery is available in some locations for an extra fee. Check with GLS that your addresses qualify.
🔁
You ship every week in Quebec or Ontario
DexPak volume rates drop by up to 55% as weekly volume grows, and MaxPak prepaid packs go overnight across both provinces.
🧳
Personal or used items
GLS carries them at your own risk, so it will not pay for loss or damage, even if you declare a value. Compare carriers before you ship them.
🌍
Shipping outside Canada
GLS Canada ships within Canada today, with parcel service to Europe announced as coming soon. For the U.S. or overseas, compare international carriers in one quote.

See GLS's live rates next to every other major carrier for your route on Secureship.

Compare GLS on Your Route

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Frequently Asked Questions About GLS Services

What is the difference between GLS Ground and GLS Express?

Speed and reach. GLS Express flies parcels the next business day, but only from 12 pickup cities in Ontario and Quebec to 20 cities in 8 provinces. GLS Ground covers Canada coast to coast, Monday to Friday, with a transit time that depends on your postal codes. If both ends of your shipment are on the Express list and tomorrow matters, Express is the one; otherwise Ground is the everyday choice. Compare both for your route.


What is the GLS Canada weight limit?

150 lb (68 kg) per piece. A piece can also measure up to 165 in (419 cm) in length plus girth, and up to 120 in (304 cm) long within GLS's direct network, or 108 in (274 cm) outside it. Anything bigger is over GLS's maximum: GLS carries it only within its direct network, for an extra charge per piece, and won't accept it elsewhere. For heavier shipments, compare carriers in one quote.


What is a GLS MaxPak?

A prepaid, tear-proof 17 × 14 in pack for urgent documents or small items. It holds up to 50 lb and goes overnight anywhere in Quebec and Ontario (some exceptions apply). MaxPaks are sold in packs of 10, and the price is in our GLS shipping rates guide.


Does GLS carry dangerous goods?

Some, within Canada only. GLS accepts several classes from authorized shippers, including flammable liquids (Class 3), corrosives (Class 8) and most miscellaneous dangerous goods (Class 9), and a GLS Dangerous Goods Specialist checks each shipment before it is accepted. It doesn't accept radioactive material (Class 7) or toxic gases (Class 2.3), and dangerous goods always need a signature on delivery. The full list is in GLS's dangerous goods list.


Does GLS ship food?

Non-perishable food, yes; perishable food, no. GLS trucks are heated in winter to stop parcels freezing, and Protect From Freeze adds extra protection where it is available. Food, including chips, chocolate and baked goods, travels at your own risk, so GLS won't pay if it is lost or damaged. For anything perishable, compare other carriers on Secureship.


Does GLS offer cash on delivery?

No. GLS doesn't accept cash on delivery. Collect shipments, where the receiver pays, are accepted in Quebec and Ontario, and elsewhere only if the receiver has an active GLS Parcel account. If you need payment on delivery, check other carriers on Secureship.


Sources

All service details on this page are sourced from official GLS Canada documentation. Prices are not printed here because they change. Last updated: November 5, 2026.

  • GLS Canada Parcel 2026 Rules and Regulations (Tariff 100), effective January 1, 2026, last updated October 2026. gls-group.com
  • GLS Canada: Parcel service. gls-group.com
  • GLS Canada: Frequently Asked Questions. gls-group.com
  • GLS Canada: 2026 Points List (Parcel), Coast to Coast, effective July 13, 2026. gls-group.com
  • GLS Canada: Volume Discount Rates 2026. gls-group.com
  • Dangerous goods transported by GLS Canada, last updated August 3, 2026. gls-group.com
  • GLS Canada: Transit time calculator. gls-group.com