Canola is a crop that demands high nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) inputs to achieve maximum seed yield. The practice of balancing these two nutrients by applying them in a fixed ratio has shown yield benefits on soils deficient in both these nutrients. A 9 site-year study was conducted between 2002 and 2004 to determine whether this practice is necessary for soils containing sufficient S levels. The practice was tested for both hybrid (HC) and open pollinated (OPC) canola cultivars by applying six rates of N (0, 40, 80, 120, 160 and 200 kg N ha-1) and supplementing N rates with S, so that three N:S ratios (1.5, 6 and 12 to 1) were achieved. Seed yield, protein and oil content responses of both HC and OPC cultivars were obtained primarily with N, with no evidence for a need of balancing this nutrient with S additions to achieve a ratio within those applied at this study. Hybrid canola cultivars overall yielded 23.7% more than OPC cultivars when they received the N application rate at which maximum yield of the OPC cultivars was obtained (120 kg N ha-1). Application of an additional 30 kg ha-1 to obtain maximum HC seed yield only resulted in an additional 1.5% yield advantage for the OPC. As N application rate was increased, small increases in seed protein levels (≈2.5%) were accompanied by a small reduction (≈2%) in seed oil content. Increased yield by HC compared with OPC canola reduces N residual fertility, hence, assessment of soil fertility status by soil testing after growing HC canola is a highly beneficial management practice. Our results indicate that the practice of balancing N and S to a fixed ratio is unnecessary and wasteful on canola grown on soils containing sufficient S. Key words: Hybrid canola, N:S ratio, open pollinated, residual soil fertility