If you’re moving to Canada or are new to the country, you’re probably figuring out where to live. MoneySense explores six of the best cities in Canada for immigrants to live and work: Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Halifax. We’ll look at each city’s top employment opportunities and cost of living, including housing, to get you started on your research. From the fast-paced streets of Toronto—a hotspot for technology and finance—to the ocean vistas of Halifax—a fast-growing innovation hub—you’ll find plenty of options to get established in your new country. Methodology This l ..read more

The Wise card is a welcome addition to the services that Wise—formerly TransferWise—offers, but as you’ll quickly learn in this review, the card has a few quirks that will annoy users. That’s not to say that the Wise card is not worth having in your wallet when you travel abroad. You just need to know how the card works in order to keep your transaction fees down. Is the Wise card a credit card? Often referred to as the Wise credit card, the Wise card is actually a prepaid card available to residents of Canada and dozens of other countries. To use the card, you must have funds loaded into your ..read more

Where should you take your car for maintenance and repairs: the dealership, a car repair shop—or somewhere else? The answer: It depends on more questions. What’s broken? How old is your car? Is it a hybrid? Where did you buy it? Is it still under warranty? Is the problem covered by a safety recall, and how do you check? Also, each type of service provider has pros and cons to consider. I’ve summarized them below to share my best advice and help you make an informed decision—and maximize the value you’ll get for your money and time.  The dealership: Pros and cons If your vehicle has a prob ..read more

Planning a vacation around a concert in another city isn’t new. But in 2023, Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour became such a cultural phenomenon that destination concert travel, or “gig tripping,” has really taken off. Many Canadians are taking part in the trend—including those who couldn’t score Taylor Swift tickets in Toronto or Vancouver.  If you’re one of these people, I can relate. I’m a fan, too, and I couldn’t get a ticket in my hometown of Toronto. All six shows in November 2024 sold out within hours to those lucky enough to receive precious presale access codes. (An estimated 31 million p ..read more

PepsiCo reported better-than-expected revenue in the first quarter on strong international demand for its snacks and beverages. The Purchase, New York-based company said revenue rose 2% to USD$18.3 billion for the January-April period. That was higher than the USD$18 billion Wall Street forecast, according to analysts polled by FactSet. Pepsi reaffirmed its financial guidance for 2024, including organic revenue growth of 4%. The company has said it expects to return to more normal rates of growth this year after several years of inflation-driven price increases. Revenue growth slowing That may ..read more

Despite a small dip in U.S. vehicle sales, General Motors’ first-quarter net income rose more than 25% on strong deliveries of pickup trucks and other higher-profit vehicles. The automaker said that while its average sales price per vehicle was down slightly from last year at just under $50,000, pickup sales remained strong, and it’s not seeing the price erosion across its lineup that other companies have experienced. (All figures in U.S. currency.) GM earnings highlights General Motors reported the following for the first quarter of 2024. General Motors (GM/NYSE): Earnings per share of ..read more

Equifax Canada is exploring how rent data could factor in to credit scores to help make credit and financial services accessible to more people. The agency said it has been testing small volumes of rental payment data to assess its suitability. An Equifax study found that including “alternative data” could establish or enhance the credit scores for millions of Canadians. “Equifax Canada has been leading the way and has been modelling how rental payments, just like mortgage payments, can help build a credit score,” Equifax Canada president and CEO Sue Hutchison said in a news release.  “Th ..read more

Who wants to pay to find out their credit score? Ten years ago, this felt really backwards to Eva Wong—so she co-founded Borrowell, the first company to offer free access to credit scores and credit reports in Canada (in partnership with credit bureau Equifax). In addition to credit scores, her company offers credit-building tools—including Rent Advantage, for tenants who want to build a credit history—and an online marketplace for loans and other financial products.  Wong is passionate about helping Canadians better understand money and credit. She’s received many accolades for her work ..read more

If your home doesn’t have a backup power supply, it’s time to think about getting one. Across North America, and Canada in particular, power outages are becoming more and more common, driven in large part by extreme weather linked to climate change. During heat waves and cold snaps, home owners crank up their air conditioning or furnace, raising the risk of electricity shortages. And, of course, extreme weather disrupts power grids—and it’s happening with alarming frequency. Severe storms can bring high winds and freezing rain, which can damage and knock down power lines. Floods, wildfires, hu ..read more

A series of academic papers being rolled out by the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) has added fuel to the oft-argued case for delaying benefits for the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to the latest possible age: 70.  As I reported on my own site, when an introduction and overview was released on April 11, the delayed-gratification strategy can more than double ultimate monthly benefits: in fact they may be a whopping 2.2 times more when started at 70 compared to the opposite tactic of taking them as early possible at age 60. Similar dynamics are at play with Old Age Secur ..read more