Originally Posted by suzeandmatt (Post 12173525)

Haha I didn't even realise it wasn't visa till OH pointed it out! I just assumed. 21st century & all that. Haha

Originally Posted by DigitalGhost (Post 12173529)

I think Interac is the bog standard one that they give to everyone unless they request otherwise. Like those Switch and Visa Electron cards that banks used to issue to low earners in the UK (although at least Electron was partially useful).

The best thing that you can do is get a Canadian credit card as that will help you to build up a local credit history and if you can use one daily that entitles you to cashback, store credit or air miles than you can wind up profiting from the arrangement.

Originally Posted by DigitalGhost (Post 12173518)

There are a few stores that accept Interac online, The Source being one of them IIRC, but it is mostly useless. I tried to use it in Mexico once without thinking and the guy in the shop looked at me as though I just handed him a pineapple.

Originally Posted by Jsmth321 (Post 12173008)

Big country and lots of differences city to city and town to town.

Originally Posted by gwoodhouse (Post 12172613)

Apologies to those who read me attacking their country/themselves/someone they know - I didn't mean to do anything to earn the "Cope/Stop whinging" replies.

Originally Posted by nooks 57 (Post 12173545)

The only way i have survived 30 years in Canada is to have a bunch of British buddys. We meet once a week and have a good laugh at being british over here. Also great for watching sports and Royal stuff. There are a lot of Brits in Toronto area. good luck.

Originally Posted by suzeandmatt (Post 12173482)

I do notice a lot of things being 'behind the times' but I was expecting that as it's a bit of a known joke is it? But I like it!

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12173762)

As much as I dislike the "it's the way it is" and the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" (but it is broke and it never worked!) there is a certain comfort in some things being behind.. :nod:

Originally Posted by evets (Post 12173988)

As someone who arrived in Jan this year, WHAT A CULTURE SHOCK.

Coming from the UK via Australia, struggling to get over the paperwork and bureaucracy here. Things I took for granted albeit a small shock at the time: free banking, moving to Oz this did not exist unless you put your salary into you account. Canada for some reason or another thinks it acceptable to charge you up to $40/m unless you want to leave $5k in your account to cover this. Still not sure what value they provide since CC are still the stupidly high interest like other countries, and can not see what other standard features they offer aside from the Canadian centric features.

A simple thing like linking a bank account to do transfers, can take up to 7 to 10 business days to work. The reliance on cheques for rentals and the cost the banks charge you to provide a bank reference.

It seems like I stepped into the 19th century for banking here! High costs, and overly complicated.

I chat to colleagues who have been here many years and all agree with me and have given me pointers on how to deal/work it. Rent is the only bill/payment left where we have to use a check, so at least $40 for the checks last 4 years assuming you stay with the same bank the entire time.

Canada is thinking it is a 21st century country but in reality it does not come close. I am in Mississauga outside Toronto. They have a train system which runs in the GTA at a few select points, BUT only runs during rush hour week days. Nothing runs on the weekend or during the day on weekdays, crazy.

The public transport system here is an eye opener coming from other major cities in the world.

Originally Posted by evets (Post 12173988)

...Canada for some reason or another thinks it acceptable to charge you up to $40/m unless you want to leave $5k in your account to cover this.

Originally Posted by Jsmth321 (Post 12173991)

The need for checks and rentals is annoying. Would be nice if landlords accepted electronic payments more then they do...

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12174003)

Banking was always the example of things being behind, but PC Financial is free and has met all my needs for many a year (except the interest rate of course).

That one irritated me a few years ago. I used to have a rental property (sold it last November) and the rent received - even where cash - could take several days before it became available for use. But if there was a bill that needed paying, I didn't pay the cash in.

Because I didn't pay the cash in, there was no regular Canadian income (I had UK income into a UK account) so they didn't feel it necessary to release it quickly. :blink:
Eventually they agreed to make a big chunk immediately available. Quite ridiculous when it was cash going in rather than a cheque that needed to clear.

But my tenants started doing electronic/email transfers about 6 years ago so it stopped being an issue.


And they don't say why? In my early days of receiving rent it was post dated cheques or cash. But for the final 6 years it was the email system from successive tenants.

Perhaps the landlords feel guilty at the tenants paying the $1.50 fee but not so much that they'll pay it themselves. :rofl:

Originally Posted by Jsmth321 (Post 12174008)

My guess is it's easier for them (property management companies) to organize and deal with checks

Originally Posted by BristolUK (Post 12174014)

Individually, it's easier to open an email, click, log on and receive than it is to sign the cheque and take it to a bank.

But with multiple tenants, if one insists on paying by cheque, so that you have to go to the bank anyway, you might as well have them all by cheque and make the accounting easier.

If all your tenants paid by email that would make the accounting just as easy without the journey (or journeys if they didn't pay at the same time) to the bank.

So maybe it's a rebel tenant to blame. :rofl: