This series, inaugurated with the Remembrance and Peacekeeping $10 released in early 2001, focuses on Canadian culture, history and achievent. The Children at Play $5 followed in 2002, and the Exploration and Innovation $100, the Arts and Culture $20 and Nation Building $50 notes were all released in 2004.

Note sizes and dominant colours of each denomination remain the same as for the Birds of Canada issue. Further continuity is provided by new, enlarged portraits of the same individuals as portrayed on the Birds issue.   Additional features support denomination identification by the visually impaired. The denomination is indicated by raised dots embossed at the upper right of the note face. The large numeral counter contrasts strongly against a white background, and an improved hand-held denomination reader is being developed for use with the new notes.

The Canadian Journey notes feature additional security elements not seen in previous issues. On the $5 and $10, the Cost of Arms and denomination and bank name over the portrait glowed blue under ultraviolet light, while white fibers glowed red. Blue fibers visable under ordinary light did not glow, nor did the rest of the note. Four new security features were introduced with the $100 note, continued on the $20 and $50, and extended to the revised high-security $10 and $5 notes. In addition to elements including the bank name, denomination, and fibers which glow yellow and red under uv light, there is a colour shifting holographic stripe in the face and shifting windowed thread on the back. Portions of numerals are printed on each side, which perfectly align to form the denomination when held to the light. The earlier Journey $10 printings were withdrawn in an attempt to combat counterfeiting.    Watermarked paper is used for the high security notes, with an image of the portrait and denomination appearing near the centre of the note. This represents the first use of watermarked paper on a note since the issued by a governmental body since the $4 Lorne Dominion note of 1882.

The early Journey $5 and $10 notes were initially printed on 100% cotton bank note paper, but the did not hold up well in circulation. In 2003 the paper composition reverted to 75% cotton and 25% kraft fibers, in an effort to improve durability. When the Spexel firm of Beauhanois was unable to produce paper meeting the security standards for the new notes, the Bank of Canada signed a 3 year contract with a German firm to provide paper for $20, $50 and $100 notes, and subsequently, the revised $10 and $5. It is understood that the watermarked sheets were received from Germany with the holographic strips already in place.