How to End a Cover Letter (Canadian Examples, 2026)

Most cover letters die in the last paragraph. The writer runs out of steam, defaults to "I look forward to hearing from you," and signs off with something either too casual ("Cheers!") or too stiff ("Yours faithfully"). A strong close is three lines, no more.

The 3-part closing formula

1. The call-to-action sentence. One line that proposes a next step — a call, an interview, a portfolio review. Active, not passive.
2. The sign-off. Sincerely, Kind regards, or Best regards. Pick one and stop worrying.
3. Your name + contact. Full name, then a single line with phone, email, and LinkedIn.

8 Canadian sign-offs, ranked

From safest to riskiest:

1. Sincerely — the neutral default. Works for every industry and every seniority level.
2. Kind regards — slightly warmer, common in Canadian corporate and non-profit writing.
3. Best regards — interchangeable with Kind regards; a hair more formal.
4. Regards — fine, but reads a little curt on a first-time application.
5. Thank you — good only when you're closing on a specific ask ("Thank you for considering my application.").
6. Warm regards — okay for creative, non-profit, and education roles; too soft for finance or law.
7. Respectfully — reserve for federal, military, or judicial applications.
8. Cheers, xoxo, Yours truly — skip. Too casual, too dated, or both.

5 copy-paste closing paragraphs

Drop these in as the last paragraph before the sign-off. Edit the bracketed parts.

1. Entry-level / recent grad

I'd love a chance to talk about how my [degree/co-op] work at [school] could support [team]. I'm available for a call any afternoon this week.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[phone] · [email] · linkedin.com/in/[handle]

2. Newcomer to Canada

I'm settled in [city] and ready to start immediately. I'd welcome a short conversation about how my [X years] in [industry] can add value at [company].

Kind regards,
[Your name]
[phone] · [email] · linkedin.com/in/[handle]

3. Referral

[Referrer name] spoke highly of [team] and I'd be glad to continue the conversation they started. Happy to send work samples ahead of time if useful.

Sincerely,
[Your name]

4. Career switcher

My background in [prior field] gives me a perspective on [specific challenge] that your team hasn't hired for yet. I'd welcome a call to explain how I'd apply it in the first 90 days.

Best regards,
[Your name]

5. Senior IC / manager

I'd welcome the chance to walk you through how I'd approach [strategic priority from posting] in the first two quarters. My calendar is open [dates].

Sincerely,
[Your name]

Mistakes to avoid

• Salary demands. Never in the cover letter. Wait until the recruiter screen.
• Needy sign-offs. "I really hope you'll consider me" reads under-confident.
• Passive CTAs. "I look forward to your response" is invisible; propose a specific next step instead.
• Signature images. Adds file weight, breaks in ATS previews, and screams 2008.
• Multiple sign-offs. "Sincerely, warm regards, thanks in advance" — pick one.
• P.S. tricks. Only use a P.S. for one specific high-value fact. Otherwise it looks like a marketing gimmick.

Related: how to start a cover letter · cover letter format Canada · follow-up email after interview.