Shop E Store Alexa+ is officially going international and Canada is the first stop.
Amazon has launched its next-generation AI-powered assistant for Canadian users and it’s included as a free benefit for Prime members. Non-Prime customers will be able to pay for access later, but the early access phase is free for everyone who accesses.
Amazon says Alexa+ relies on natural conversation rather than rigid voice commands. You can say things like “I’m cold” and Alexa+ will understand to turn up the heat, or “it’s dark” and the lights will turn on without you having to remember specific phrases. The assistant also keeps an eye on Canadian life, recognizing regional expressions, following local music and hockey teams, and connecting with services like CBC and OpenTable, so you feel more at home in Canada.
Alexa+ runs on large language models through Amazon Bedrock and uses a new architecture that can coordinate many services and devices at once. That setup gives it more agent-like capabilities, allowing you to plan a trip with Fodor’s, reserve a table at a restaurant, display local news, or manage your smart home. It can also help you shop by comparing products and rearranging your usual essentials. Amazon says more partners are coming soon, including Yelp, Uber Eats, Suno and TripAdvisor, and additional Canadian services are expected later.
Personalization is at the core of what Alexa+ tries to do. Alexa+ uses visual and voice identification to recognize who is speaking and can adjust its tone, suggestions and routines for each person in the home. Over time, you learn what you like to listen to, how you prefer to relax, or even what foods or ingredients certain family members avoid. That knowledge feeds into the routines Alexa+ creates for you over time. After a long day, you can dim the lights, start a favorite playlist and suggest a short meditation, or remember that your mom is a vegetarian when she recommends recipes or nearby restaurants.
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Amazon also emphasizes that privacy controls remain critical. Customers can review their interactions and manage recordings and notes using the Alexa Privacy Dashboard. And Echo devices still include hardware controls for microphones and cameras, along with a clear indicator when Alexa is listening.
Alexa+ will remain free for Prime members even after Early Access ends, while non-Prime customers will pay $27.99 CAD per month if they want to subscribe. Early Access is starting to roll out across Canada.
You can sign up on the new Alexa page on Amazon Canada or purchase one of the latest Echo devices, which have been designed with additional processing power and sensors to make the most of Alexa+ and its more ambient generative AI features.
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