Where to Watch HBO and Max Shows in Canada: How Crave Works, Release Times and What It Doesn't Have (2026)
Search for an HBO show from Canada and you'll end up in the same place almost every time. Crave, Bell Media's streamer, is the licensed Canadian home for HBO and Max Originals.
That arrangement has been in place for years, and Bell extended it on Oct. 8, 2024. So the question for most people isn't "which app," it's "what time does it drop."
Is HBO on Crave in Canada?
Short version: yes, and Bell Media calls Crave "the exclusive home of HBO and Max content" for multiple years from its Oct. 8, 2024 deal with Warner Bros. Discovery. Each new episode goes up at the time Crave lists, such as Sundays at 10 p.m. ET for Youth.
The deal covers HBO and Max Originals like The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, The White Lotus and The Penguin, plus library series such as The Sopranos, Succession and The Wire.
What time do HBO shows come out on Crave?
Crave lists a specific time for each series. In its September schedule, Bell Media says new episodes of HBO's Youth stream "Sundays at 10 p.m. ET" from Sept. 20, which is 7 p.m. in Vancouver. Its October overview does the same for War: Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET from Oct. 1.
Weekly documentaries follow their own pattern. JAŸ-Z IN 8 started Friday, Sept. 18 and releases two new episodes every Friday on Crave, per the September release.
| Title | Label | On Crave | Release pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| War | HBO and Sky Original | Thu, Oct. 1 | Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET, eight episodes |
| Lanterns | HBO Original | Sun, Oct. 4 | Episode 8, the finale |
| The Pet Cemetery Murders: A Ghost Story | HBO documentary series | Sun, Oct. 11 | Premiere |
| Kate Berlant: Parmesan | HBO comedy special | Fri, Oct. 16 | Single special |
| Kordell Stewart: Slash & Burn | HBO documentary | Tue, Oct. 27 | Single film |
From Bell Media's October 2026 Crave streaming overview, checked Oct. 1. September's HBO arrivals were A Killer Story, JAŸ-Z IN 8, Youth, Siren: The Voices of Shelley Beattie and the Stuart Fails to Save the Universe finale.
Do I need a separate Max subscription in Canada?
No. Because Bell holds the exclusive Canadian rights, HBO and Max Originals reach Canadians through a Crave subscription rather than a separate Max plan.
We aren't listing Crave prices here. Bell didn't include them in the releases we used, and reported figures vary, so check Crave's own sign-up page before you subscribe.
What else is on Crave besides HBO?
Three other big pipelines. Every CTV series lands on Crave the next day, Crave commissions its own Canadian originals, and Starz titles sit on Crave as an add-on.
In September that meant The Amazing Race Canada finale on Sept. 16, Outlander: Blood of My Blood Season 2 from Sept. 18 (Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz), and the Crave Original comedy Slo Pitch from Sept. 25. Our sister site's guide to Canadian reality TV covers the CTV competition shows.
Which American streaming shows are not on Crave?
Hulu Originals are the most common mix-up. In Canada they sit under the Hulu tile on Disney+, not on Crave, according to Disney+ Canada's own page.
Peacock Originals have gone to Corus since 2020, so they tend to show up on Showcase, W Network and STACKTV. New Showtime titles are on Paramount+ in Canada, although older Showtime series already on Crave, such as Yellowjackets, stayed put.
We'll cover those services in our Prime Video, Disney+ and Paramount+ section.
How do HBO Sunday nights line up with Crave this fall?
By our count from Bell's schedule, Sept. 20 alone brought four new episodes to Crave: two of Youth and two of American Hostage, the Jon Hamm anthology series.
That was a heavy night. Our weekly list lays each seven days out, service by service.
What else does the Warner Bros. Discovery deal cover?
More than HBO series. Bell's Oct. 8, 2024 release lists the DC Universe, the Harry Potter franchise including the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series, and Warner Bros. library shows like Friends and The Big Bang Theory.
It also names Warner Bros. films such as Barbie, Dune: Part Two, Wonka and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. On top of the licensing, the two companies agreed to co-develop Canadian productions and to license Bell originals to Warner Bros. Discovery platforms outside Canada.
That second part means Bell originals can be licensed to Max and other Warner Bros. Discovery services abroad, while HBO's shows keep flowing into Canada through Crave.
Frequently asked questions
Is Crave the same as HBO Max?
No. Crave is a Canadian service that licenses HBO and Max content alongside other programming.
Does Crave include Starz?
Starz titles such as Outlander: Blood of My Blood come through a Starz add-on on Crave.
Is Netflix or Crave better this month?
It depends on what you watch. Our October Crave list and October Netflix Canada list cover the current month, and the September comparison shows how we weigh the two.
More: which Canadian channel carries your US network show, what was on in Canada on Sept. 15 and everything filed under Crave.
Sources
- Bell Media: Bell Media and Warner Bros. Discovery expand partnership (Oct. 8, 2024)
- Bell Media: September 2026 Crave streaming overview (Youth, JAŸ-Z IN 8, A Killer Story, Outlander, Slo Pitch)
- Bell Media: October 2026 Crave streaming overview (War, Lanterns finale, The Pet Cemetery Murders, Kate Berlant: Parmesan, Kordell Stewart: Slash & Burn)
- Disney+ Canada: Hulu on Disney+
- Corus Entertainment: Peacock Originals agreement