Vancouver scrap prices lean on the Pacific: container exports to Asia give yards a second bid on copper and aluminium, keeping quotes close to converted world levels. BC's Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act applies everywhere: ID recorded, regulated metals reported, and traceable payment.
Scrap metal prices per lb in Vancouver
| Scrap type | Price (CAD) | Change | Global reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-ferrous (per lb) | |||
| Copper Scrap | C$7.79 / lb | ▲ +1.22% | $5.81 / lb |
| Aluminum Scrap | C$1.17 / lb | ▲ +1.16% | $0.87 / lb |
| Brass Scrap | C$4.75 / lb | ▲ +1.14% | $3.54 / lb |
| Stainless Steel Scrap | C$0.76 / lb | ▲ +0.00% | $0.57 / lb |
| Lead Scrap | C$0.79 / lb | ▲ +0.00% | $0.59 / lb |
| Zinc Scrap | C$1.21 / lb | ▲ +0.00% | $0.90 / lb |
| Battery Scrap | C$0.31 / lb | ▲ +0.00% | $0.23 / lb |
| Radiator Scrap | C$4.48 / lb | ▲ +1.21% | $3.34 / lb |
| Wire Scrap | C$3.77 / lb | ▲ +1.44% | $2.81 / lb |
| Cable Scrap | C$2.51 / lb | ▲ +1.08% | $1.87 / lb |
| Electronic Scrap | C$1.07 / lb | ▲ +1.27% | $0.80 / lb |
| Ferrous and bulk (per ton) | |||
| Steel Scrap | C$402 / ton | ▲ +0.00% | $300 / ton |
| Iron Scrap | C$354 / ton | ▲ +0.00% | $264 / ton |
| Car Scrap | C$483 / ton | ▲ +0.00% | $360 / ton |
| Cast Iron | C$386 / ton | ▲ +0.00% | $288 / ton |
Indicative dealer prices for clean, sorted scrap in Canada, shown here for Vancouver. Individual yards quote around this level by grade, volume and condition; the derivation from exchange benchmarks and the exchange rate (1 USD = 1.38 CAD) is described in the methodology section below.
Vancouver scrap price chart (CAD)
Daily open, high, low and close for the most traded scrap metals in CAD, the same series Vancouver yards price against. Scroll to zoom and drag to move along the timeline.
Price history could not be loaded.
- Current Price
- Daily Change
- Weekly Change
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- Yearly Change
The scrap market in Vancouver
Vancouver is Canada's export scrap market. Non-ferrous moves in containers to Asian consumers through the port, and that outlet keeps local bids competitive even without nearby mills; ferrous consolidates at the big processors before shipping out by sea.
Supply is renovation, demolition and marine work, with the trade concentrated on Mitchell Island in Richmond and through Surrey's industrial lands. Rain is the practical tax: wet loads take moisture deductions, so covered storage pays for itself here faster than anywhere else in the country.
- Province
- British Columbia, Canada
- Quoted in
- CAD per lb (non-ferrous), per ton (ferrous)
- Yards cluster in
- Mitchell Island, Surrey, Burnaby, Langley
- Demand from
- Container exports to Asia via the port
Where the scrap yards are in Vancouver
- Mitchell Island (Richmond): the region's famous scrap cluster in the Fraser.
- Surrey and the Fraser corridor: processors and full-service yards.
- East Vancouver and Burnaby: retail yards for the trades.
- Langley and the valley: mixed and auto scrap.
What pays well in Vancouver
- Export-grade copper, cable and aluminium in volume.
- Stainless and alloys from marine and food industries.
- Insulated wire, priced on recovery by the exporters.
Selling scrap metal in Vancouver: rules, ID and payment
British Columbia's Metal Dealers and Recyclers Act applies province-wide: dealers record photo ID, report regulated metal purchases to police daily, and pay for regulated metals by traceable means rather than cash. Bring ID and, for vehicles, the registration; the rules are identical at every licensed yard.
Before any sale, check the live board above, sort by grade and get quotes from two or three buyers; the best scrap price guide covers the routine and the calculator turns a weight into a figure at today's price. To judge whether a local quote is competitive, our note on telling a well-paying yard from a headline rate sets out the benchmark test.
Vancouver scrap price FAQ
What is the scrap copper price in Vancouver today?
As of the latest update, the indicative price for clean number 1 copper is about C$7.79 per lb in CAD. Vancouver yards typically quote within a few percent of that figure either side, depending on grade, volume and the buyer; the live board above shows all fifteen grades.
Where can I sell scrap metal in Vancouver?
Mitchell Island in Richmond is the traditional cluster with the most buyers in one place, Surrey holds the bigger processors, and East Vancouver and Burnaby cover smaller loads. Export-facing yards move prices fastest when Asian container bids change.
Why was my payment not in cash?
BC law requires traceable payment for regulated metals such as copper wire and catalytic converters, and daily reporting of those purchases to police. It is the same at every licensed dealer in the province, and it exists to shut the market for stolen metal.
Are Vancouver prices different from the national board?
The board on this page is the Canada indicative level, and Vancouver yards trade around it rather than exactly on it. Local competition, freight to the nearest consumer and the day's export demand set the spread, which is why two quotes in the same city can differ by several percent on the same morning.
Sources and methodology
The Vancouver board uses the Canada indicative prices: global exchange benchmarks (COMEX copper, CME aluminum and steel, NYMEX platinum and palladium, IMF monthly lead, zinc and nickel) multiplied by typical yard recovery shares, a local market factor of 0.97 and the day's exchange rate. The full method, the recovery shares and the correction policy are on our editorial policy page; local notes on this page are reviewed against published dealer information and reader corrections sent to info@scrappricetoday.com.
Prices are indicative and for information only; they are not offers to buy or sell. Yard quotes in Vancouver vary by grade, volume, condition and buyer.
Nearby and related
Scrap metal prices in Canada · All countries · Catalytic converter prices