text: when did canadians go over to dollars from pounds sterling and why? i'd be interested to know the same about aussies and kiwis if anyone knows. the province of canada declared that all accounts would be kept in dollars and cents as of january 1, 1858, and ordered the issue of the first official canadian coins in the same year. the colonies that came together in the canadian confederation progressively adopted a decimal system over the next few years. nova scotia retained its own currency until 1871, whilst newfoundland issued its own currency until joining the confederation in 1949. finally, the federal parliament passed the uniform currency act in april 1871, tying up loose ends as to the currencies of the various provinces and replacing them with a common canadian dollar.  the aussies waited until 1966.  they eventually did because they also saw the benefits of a decimal system.  the kiwis followed in 1967 for the same reason.