How much does a sea can cost in Canada?

Sea can prices by size and grade

Typical asking prices as of late 2026, container only:

• 20 ft used (wind and watertight or cargo-worthy): $1,800–$3,500
• 20 ft one-trip: $2,800–$4,500
• 40 ft or 40 ft high cube used: $2,200–$4,800
• 40 ft high cube one-trip: $4,250–$7,000
• 10 ft: $3,500–$4,500, often as much as a used 20, because most are new-built or cut down from a 20
• Open-side or side-door one-trip: about $6,000 for a 20 ft and $7,500–$10,500 for a 40 ft
• Non-working reefer (insulated): about $5,800–$8,000

Cargo-worthy usually costs $300–$600 more than wind and watertight. As-is units with known damage can sell below these ranges.

Why prices vary across Canada

• Distance from a depot. Containers are cheapest near the rail and port depots in Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal. Saskatchewan dealers, for example, often quote $1,000 or more above Edmonton for the same box.
• The global container market. When shipping lines are short of boxes they sell fewer old ones and prices rise; when trade slows, depots fill up and prices fall. Many dealers hold a quote for only a few days.
• Steel and manufacturing costs in Asia, which set the price of new containers and pull used prices along with them.
• Season. Spring and summer, when construction and moving pick up, are the busiest months.

Delivery costs

Sea cans are delivered on a tilt-deck truck that slides the container off the back, or by a truck with a crane where space is tight.

• Inside a dealer's home city: often a flat $250–$500.
• Beyond that: quoted by distance from the yard, and often for the truck's trip both ways. Remote sites such as Fort McMurray or Grande Prairie from Edmonton can add well over $1,000.
• Crane delivery, tight access or a second trip after a failed first attempt all cost extra.

Always compare the delivered price. A cheaper container from 300 km away is often the more expensive one at your gate.

Rental rates

As of late 2026, a 20 ft storage container usually rents for $100–$300 a month, with most quotes between $130 and $160. A 40 ft runs about $225–$450. Delivery and pickup are charged separately, typically $150–$500 each within a supplier's area. Office containers rent from about $750 a month. A used 20 ft costs roughly what 15–20 months of rent does, so buy if you need it for more than about two years.

Costs buyers forget

• Tax: 5% GST in Alberta and the territories, GST plus PST in B.C., Saskatchewan and Manitoba, HST in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.
• Site prep: a level pad of compacted gravel, or blocks or timbers under the corners. Budget a few hundred dollars for gravel if the ground is soft.
• Permits: many municipalities charge for a development or building permit, especially on residential land.
• Security: a lock box and a good padlock, about $100–$200.
• Upkeep: vents, touch-up paint on scratches before they rust, and in time new door gaskets.