In Case You Missed It
Look, credit cards aren't for everyone — especially if your retail reach tends to exceed your financial grasp. However, if you're someone who can stay on top of your bills, you really ought to find a credit card that suits your lifestyle. After analyzing over 175 products, the folks at Credit Card Genius believe that the best all-around credit card for Canadians in 2023 is... the American Express Cobalt Card, which offers a great welcome bonus and will especially suit your lifestyle if you happen to be someone who eats food. Janice Rodrigues takes a deeper look into the findings.
- What Else? Another credit card cited as a winner is the BMO CashBack World Elite Mastercard, which offers 5% cash back on purchases plus a wide range of insurance coverage and free roadside assistance. The RBC Avion Visa Infinite card is also a strong point earner, according to Credit Card Genius.
- My Take: I've actually had the AmEx Cobalt for a few years now and it really is great for restaurant/grocery purchases. One nice touch is that you can transfer AmEx points into a number of other reward programs — including Aeroplan.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
When Narcity's own Charlie Hart moved from the U.K. to Canada a little over a year ago, she knew finding a long-term apartment was going to be one of the biggest sources of stress. Not only did she have to scout for the right neighbourhood for her lifestyle, she flat-out had to learn how renting in Canada worked, period. In the U.K., what you rent is typically what you get — but in Canada, units often come with additional perks like utilities included in the bill, gym memberships and other bonuses that will save you cash in the long run. Here are the six things Charlie wishes she knew before she moved to Calgary.
Speaking of newcomers to Canada, here's Janice Rodrigues once more. You see, Janice recently moved to Canada after spending the last several years in Dubai — a land of culinary delights to be sure... but do they have a seemingly infinite selection of peanut-and-wafer-filled chocolate bars? (Well, probably; please bear with me here.) Janice recently did a big taste test of some of Canada's signature candies — Coffee Crisp, Mr. Big, Glosettes, you name it — and was generally impressed by our commitment to covering all things crunchy and chewy with milk chocolate.
- However: Instead of chocolatey nougat and happiness, one candy Janice tried filled her with nothing but regret. Any guesses?
- My Take: For my money, nothing beats Coffee Crisp when you have a hankering for chocolate-flavoured sawdust.
- READ THE FULL STORY HERE
What Else You Need To Know Today
💰 STEALTH WEALTH
If the name Sherry Brydson doesn't ring a bell, you should probably file it away should the proletariat ever have cause to actually eat the rich. Though she keeps a low profile, the member of the Thomson family currently ranks as the richest Canadian, boasting a net worth of $13.8 billion. Mira Nabulsi explains how Brydson stacked all that lettuce.
🚗 LICENSE TO CHILL
Ontario revealed some of the applications for custom license plates that were rejected last year and apparently 2022 went about as well as expected. In addition to the usual nopes for readability, the province nixed a number of proposals that contained references to sex, drugs, alcohol and other stuff that would make a sailor blush with shame. From "H3LLYEAH" to "CERB.CHQ," Stuart McGinn breaks down the highlights.
🏞️ PARK PLACE
Montrealers looking to get outside and enjoy (or merely tolerate) the winter weather should check out Parc Frédéric-Back on an upcoming weekend. Running January 11 through March 5, TOHU is offering free equipment rentals for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, Charlotte Hoareau writes.
📌 JOB BOARD
Health Canada is on the lookout for new talent to add to its ranks — and all you need is a high school diploma. The agency has openings for clerical and administrative support positions and program officer positions, Lisa Belmonte notes. Check out the details here.
🎂 BIRTHDAYS
Belligerent NFL defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh turns 36 years old today. Former SNL stalwart Kate McKinnon is 39. The Theory of Everything Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne is 41. The late Boyz n the Hood director John Singleton would've been 55 today. Rowan Atkinson — better known as Mr. Bean — is 68. The late AC/DC founder Malcolm Young would've turned 70. The late Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett would've been 77. Cosmic philosopher Alan Watts was born on this day in 1915.
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Thanks for reading Narcity's Canada Morning Brief — the newsletter that's willing to jeopardize potential sponsorship deals to tell you all the real truth about soap gum.
Have a question or comment about today's edition? Let me know at andrew.potter@narcity.com or hit me up on Twitter if you'd prefer at @andrewjoepotter.
Have a great weekend and I will see you back here on Monday!
