The Dutchman capitalised on a timely safety-car intervention with 11 laps of the race remaining to edge past Lando Norris and secure his 60th F1 victory.
Many drivers struggled in the testing conditions, including Ferrari star Charles Leclerc, who fell further behind Verstappen in the drivers' standings after retiring his car on lap 43.
It was a welcome return to top form for Verstappen, who has been some way off his imperious best so far this season.
The 26-year-old - so dominant in 2023 - has already been beaten this year by Carlos Sainz, Norris, and most recently, by Leclerc, who triumphed in Monaco.
Max Verstappen returned to winning ways at the Canadian Grand PrixHelmut Marko believes Verstappen would have won driving Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes
Three-time champion back to his best in Montreal
Despite Verstappen's struggles in 2024, there is no doubt in the mind of his Red Bull boss that he was back to his best at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
So impressed was Marko with his star driver's latest performance, he claimed that the three-time champion would have won last weekend's race regardless of which car he was in - including Norris' McLaren and Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes.
When quizzed by OE24 on whether Verstappen would have been just as successful in another car, the 81-year-old said: "Yes. Only Max has the overview of the race and the confidence to accelerate when necessary.
"Apart from that, our team drove an absolutely correct strategy."
GP USA
3 - 5 May
GP ITALY
17 - 19 May
GP MONACO
24 - 26 May
GP CANADA
7 - 9 Jun
GP SPAIN
21 - 23 Jun
GP AUSTRIA
28 - 30 Jun
GP GREAT BRITAIN
5 - 7 Jul
GP HUNGARY
19 - 21 Jul
GP BELGIUM
26 - 28 Jul
GP NETHERLANDS
23 - 25 Aug
GP AZERBAIJAN
13 - 15 Sep
GP SINGAPORE
20 - 22 Sep
GP MEXICO
25 - 27 Oct
GP BRAZIL
1 - 3 Nov
GP QATAR
29 Nov - 1 Dec
GP ABU DHABI
6 - 8 Dec
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