Android Pay is finally available in Canada, several banks are on board

Well, it's about darn time.

Android Pay is finally available up in Canada, coming closely after everyone was informed of its impending launch at Google I/O 2017. Canadians can now install the Android Pay app, add their cards and start paying right away.

Google says over the next few days, banks will be finalizing their support — but all the big names are here, including BMO, Banque Nationale, CIBC, Scotiabank, ATB Financial and more. Interac-branded debit cards will start working next week, and other big players like American Express are slated to arrive "this summer."

#AndroidPay is now available in #Canada 🇨🇦. An easier way to pay is already in your hand: https://t.co/Y85ULkyHsN http://pic.twitter.com/kNmasq7bge

— Android (@Android) May 31, 2017

It's interesting to see that it took this long for Android Pay to arrive in Canada, as theoretically it has a more favorable market to launch a new contactless payment system. Contactless payments via NFC-enabled credit cards have been the norm in Canada for far longer than the U.S. was thinking about the technology, and its banking system is far more consolidated into a handful of key players rather than the diverse set of hundreds of credit unions down South.

Given the way the market is set up, now that the app is here and the banks are on board, Canadians should be able to pick up Android Pay at a much faster pace considering how many of its stores support NFC already.

But delays aside, Android Pay is now available. Getting Canada on board with the same great phone-based payment technology that has been available in the U.S. is excellent for adoption. If you're in Canada, give the Android Pay app a try!