What Canadians Want from Rewards Programs: How to Claim Rewards

November is Financial Literacy Month — an ideal time for Canadians to review how effectively their money is working for them. Credit card rewards programs play a key role for many households, allowing everyday spending to return added value. A recent Angus Reid survey conducted for PC Financial found that 95% of Canadians belong to at least one financial rewards loyalty program, yet only 38% report being satisfied with their program.

Knowing what makes a rewards program genuinely valuable — simplicity, clear value, flexibility, and strong earning potential on everyday purchases — can help you get more from your cards. Below we explain how to evaluate rewards, choose a program that matches your lifestyle, and demonstrate how the no annual fee PC Mastercard translates routine spending into tangible rewards.

What matters most in a rewards program?

When Canadians were asked to identify the most important features of a rewards program, nearly six in ten (59%) ranked easy redemption as their top priority. Other commonly cited features include:

Earning rewards on everyday purchases (55%)
Flexibility in how points can be used (49%)
Transparency of points value (48%)

Despite those priorities, only 20% of respondents are satisfied with how quickly they earn rewards, and just 19% are happy with program flexibility. That mismatch helps explain widespread frustration with programs that are difficult to understand or slow to deliver meaningful benefits.

“Most Canadians like the idea of getting rewarded for the spending they already do,” says financial expert Eduek Brooks. “But traditional programs can be complicated: clunky apps, confusing point conversions, and long waits to earn meaningful rewards often make people feel the effort isn’t worth it.”

Match rewards to your spending and lifestyle

Maximize value by aligning your rewards program with where you actually spend. A card offering premium travel benefits won’t help much if you rarely fly. Instead, choose a program that rewards the categories where you spend most — groceries, gas, recurring bills, and everyday purchases — and aim to use a single primary card for the bulk of your spending so points accumulate faster.

Look for a card that rewards every purchase, not only rotating or niche categories, and one that allows redemptions on your terms. Many people dislike waiting months or even a year to redeem cash back; a transparent program that lets you redeem when you want is usually more satisfying.

“If you want rewards to work harder, focus most spending on a single program instead of spreading purchases across many cards,” advises Eduek Brooks. “When most of your everyday purchases are concentrated in one place, points add up quickly.”

If you prefer a no-annual-fee option that links to a flexible loyalty program, the PC Financial no annual fee Mastercard provides a clear example. Cardholders earn 1% back in PC Optimum points on purchases everywhere, plus higher earn rates at partner retailers: up to 4.5% back at Shoppers Drug Mart and up to 3% back at participating grocery stores, with no caps on earning. The card also offers a minimum of 3 cents per litre back on Esso and Mobil purchases. Those features illustrate how consistent, easy-to-understand rewards can turn everyday spending into steady value.

PC Mastercard

Annual fee: $0

Welcome offer: Earn 20,000 points when you spend $50 or more at participating stores within 60 days of account approval.

Rewards:

25 points per $1 spent at Shoppers Drug Mart
At least 30 points per litre at Esso and Mobil gas stations
10 points per $1 on all other purchases

Card details

Interest rates	21.99% on purchases, 22.97% on cash advances
Income required	None specified
Credit score	560 or higher
Point value	1 PC Optimum point is worth $0.001 (10,000 points = $10)

More value and flexibility: the PC Mastercard approach

The PC Mastercard demonstrates several principles many Canadians say they want: straightforward earning, transparent value, and practical redemption options. Programs that avoid complicated tiers and rotating categories tend to be easier to use and more rewarding in everyday life.

Transparent, easy-to-understand earning

Complex earning and redemption rules are a frequent source of dissatisfaction. The PC Mastercard uses PC Optimum for rewards, which keeps earning and redemption simple: 10,000 PC Optimum points equal $10 toward purchases at Loblaw banner stores or partner redemptions, making the value easy to understand. You can monitor your balance through the PC Financial app to keep track of rewards in real time.

Flexible redemption choices

Redemption flexibility is another priority for many cardholders. With PC Optimum you can redeem in increments of 10,000 points for groceries and everyday items, and there is also an option to apply points toward your card balance (minimum 10,000 points for a $7 balance credit), giving you more control over how your rewards are used. No forced waiting periods or anniversary-only redemptions mean you can use rewards when they matter most.

Rewards programs are widely used by Canadians, but participation alone doesn’t guarantee satisfaction. The most rewarding programs are those that are seamless, meaningful, and easy to use. As Eduek Brooks sums up, “When points are simple to earn and simple to redeem, people see value right away and are more likely to stay engaged.”

During Financial Literacy Month, review your own credit card rewards program. Make sure it aligns with your spending patterns, offers transparent value, and provides the flexibility to redeem when and how you want so that every dollar stretches further.

Methodology

The research referenced comes from a PC Financial survey conducted from September 23 to 25, 2025. More than 1,500 adult Canadian members of the Angus Reid online forum were polled in both English and French. The margin of error for this sample size is +/-2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.