At 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Garcia was considered too small for the National Football League and was not selected in the 1994 NFL Draft. In 1994, Garcia started his professional career in Calgary with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. He won a place on Calgary's roster as their third-string quarterback behind Doug Flutie and Steve Taylor when he threw two fourth-quarter touchdowns in his exhibition game appearance in 1994. Soon after he was named backup quarterback to Doug Flutie. Garcia took over as starter in 1995 when Flutie was sidelined midway through the season with an elbow injury. In his second start filling in for Flutie, Garcia set a team record with 546 passing yards and six touchdown passes in the Labour Day game against Edmonton touching off an eventual quarterback controversy among some fans when Flutie later returned. Flutie ended up starting over Garcia in the Grey Cup that year which the Stampeders lost. After Flutie signed as a free-agent with the Toronto Argonauts in 1996, Garcia took over as the Stampeders' starting quarterback. During Garcia's three years as starter, the Stampeders finished with records of 13–5, 10–8, and 12–6.