The review presents the results of the development of durum wheat production and breeding in Canada. In the historical context, the most popular varieties are shown, their characteristics according to the main economic characteristics are given. The approaches used during the period of scientific breeding, since 1928 – the year of the beginning of the breeding improvement of durum wheat in Canada, are given. The main objectives of breeding after the registration of the first Stewart 63 variety in 1963 were: improvement of yield characteristics, resistance to diseases and germination at the root, concentration and quality of protein, grinding indicators (yield of semolina), color of grain, semolina and pasta. Gradually, starting from the end of the 60s, the priority direction are the traits of quality. In the 70s, the Wascana and Wakooma varieties became widespread, which, along with the yield advantages, surpassed the existing varieties in terms of gluten quality - they carried the 45 component of Y-gliadin. For the next 15 years (1985-2000), the Kyle variety dominated, similar in gluten strength to Wakooma, but with a higher content of yellow pigment and better agronomic properties. Then, from 1997 to 2004, varieties were registered that were improved in the content of yellow pigments (AC Avonlea), the quality of gluten (AC Navigator), the quality of gluten and the ability to accumulate a small amount of cadmium (Strongfield), the content of yellow pigments and very significantly in the quality of gluten (Commander). Currently, the quality traits, the accumulation of cadmium in grain are strictly controlled when registering new varieties. From 2010 to 2018, 22 new varieties were registered. Research is underway aimed at introducing modern methods of marker and genomic selection. High-performance methods of phenotyping physiological traits are being developed for their genotyping and application in the study of source and breeding material.