Netflix begins international expansion with a streaming-only service in Canada
Netflix launched in Canada on September 22, 2010, its first market outside the United States. Unlike the U.S. business, the Canadian service omitted DVD-by-mail entirely and was built around streaming from the start.
Historical context
By 2010 Netflix streaming was spreading from computers to game consoles, connected televisions and mobile devices, while the company's U.S. DVD logistics remained expensive and geographically specific. Entering a new country without building physical distribution infrastructure offered a much more scalable model for international growth.
What happened
Canadian subscribers could pay C$7.99 per month for unlimited internet viewing on computers and supported connected devices. Netflix did not introduce its DVD delivery business in Canada, making its first international expansion effectively a streaming-native operation.
Consequences
The Canadian launch demonstrated that Netflix's future expansion could be detached from its original DVD business. Streaming, rather than disc rental, became the model the company could replicate across national markets.