Rogers World Elite MasterCard Coming Soon

Rogers World Elite MasterCard & How It Compares with PC World Elite MasterCard

Rogers recently notified its Rogers Platinum MasterCard customers to upgrade to a new Rogers World Elite MasterCard before May 14, 2018. Rogers is devaluing its Rogers Platinum MasterCard and Fido Mastercard and moving some of the benefits to the new Rogers World Elite MasterCard.

For example, the 4% return on foreign transactions (which offsets 2.5% foreign currency fees), 2% return on Rogers products, and 1.75% (or 1.50 on Fido) returns on everything else are no longer available on Rogers Platinum MasterCard and Fido Mastercard. Rather, these high returns will be shifting to the Rogers World Elite MasterCard.

Also, Rogers World Elite MasterCard will be offering some insurance benefits that are rare for a no annual fee credit card. These benefits include Emergency Travel Medical, Trip Interruption, and Trip Cancellation insurance.

Another free World Elite series MasterCard available is the PC World Elite MasterCard, which offers some of the same insurances like Rogers WE but does not offer Trip Interruption & Trip Cancellation insurance + foreign transaction fee offsetting return. Even a premium credit card that charges a $150 annual fee like American Express Gold Rewards Credit card does not offer these benefits.

With all these value-added features for free, the Rogers World Elite MasterCard will definitely step-up competition on the Canadian credit card market and consumers are the ones who will benefit from it. I have been providing video updates on my channel about credit cards and rewards, so please subscribe to stay updated.

Toronto's Red Hot Real Estate Market

Toronto’s Red Hot Real Estate Market

First Published: Oct 2, 2008

Well, finally it looks like Canada’s largest housing market is cooling off. Recent numbers show declines in real estate transactions, however, it may not take a deep dive like in the U.S.

Toronto Real Estate Board reports that for the first half of September, transactions decline 23 percent from the first half of September 2007 and a 11 percent decline from the first half of September 2006. But if you compare 2006 and 2007, in 2007 there was a 16 percent increase in the first half of September than 2006.

Do all these mean that prices are declining as well? Not necessarily. According to Toronto Real Estate Board, average home price in Toronto is $386,524 (as of mid September 2007), up from mid September 2006($384,796), and 12 percent higher than mid September 2006 ($330,005).

As you can see, although real estate transactions are declining, we have not seen any price decreases. One thing I noticed that home owners, who are in the market to sell, finding it hard to do a quick sell like they did it in 2007. One of my relatives is in the market to sell their condo for three weeks – but so far they have not received any genuine responses. If it was last year, “the sell” would have been done by now.

Are you planning to buy a condo or a house? Do you think these real estate stats and recent market volatility will make buyers alter their plans? One of my friends is actively looking for a place to buy and nothing is going to deter him from buying his place. Things like volatile markets, sluggish economy, global financial meltdown, mortgage rates are no problem for him. I have another friend who was looking for a condo. However, since the beginning of recent financial crisis, he gave up his search. He thinks it is not a good time to make a major purchase. He wants to wait until everything is over.

Now, let’s look at a comparison of condo prices I have done.

300 Front Street West in Downtown Toronto (between the CN Tower and Rogers Centre) Square Footage: 1144 Approx
Starting Price:  $697,750 Approx
Tentative Occupancy 2012Top Floor: 50th

1 Bloor Street East Condo (Yonge and Bloor intersection) Square Footage: 1150 Approx Starting Price: $1 Million Approx
Tentative Occupancy 2011Top Floor: 80th

A New Condo in Scarborough or North York Square Footage: 1150
Price: Approx From $400,000 to $500,00

A Ten/Fifteen Years Old Condo in Scarborough or North York Square Footage: 1150
Price: Approx Around $200,000

If you are actively looking for a condo or a house, don't dive into any conclusions before doing your research and analyzing all pros and cons.

Real Estate Stats Source: Real Estate Board

Why Your Business Needs A Website?

Do You Need A Website?

First Published: Dec 21, 2010 EntrepreneurJourney.com

As an entrepreneur, one of the most common things you will be asked is whether or not you have a website. This is a common question because people want to know so they can get information on your company, yourself and more. While many business owners will set up a business right away, especially if they work from home, there are some who do not see the need for it. This is a problem because in today’s world, you need to have a website that you can use to reach your customers and that you can have your customers reach you at.

Here are just a few reasons why a website is so important within your business:

1. It allows customers to talk directly to you and to learn about your company. There are many, mostly younger than 30, who feel that if you do not have a website, then you are not a legitimate company. You do not want to fall in this category. Even if your business has nothing to do with computers, merchandise or anything connected with the internet, then you want to have a website just to show that you are legitimate to the people who care about websites.
2. It allows you to see who your customers are. When you have a website, it usually comes with software that gives you the ability to learn where your customers are coming from, how they are finding you and what they are looking at on your website. That is important because that type of marketing information can go a long way in helping ensure that you are successful with your business.
3. Having a website will raise your productivity because your customers won’t have to call you and ask where you are, or find out what you sell. They can just go to your website and learn what they need to know. That frees you up to do business, rather than dealing with phone calls of a minor nature.
4. Your customer base can literally increase from hundreds to millions. Right now, there are roughly 1.5 billion people on the Internet. That means that you have the potential to reach all of those individuals. That is an immense opportunity for you and it is something that you need to take advantage of. If you do not, you are not doing your business any favors.

The Internet is not a fad; it is not something that is going to fade away. It is a world changing technology that has changed the world more in 15 years than most technologies do in 100 years. Even if your business does nothing on the Internet, doesn’t use computers and has no need for them, you need a website. A website is like an employee who works for you and helps to ensure that your company stays viable and profitable for many years to come. It is an essential technology these days, so do not do without it.

Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Credit Card

Scotia’s New Travel Credit Card Miles Ahead of Competitors

Previously, if you were on the lookout for travel credit cards issued by major Canadian banks that do not charge foreign currency transaction fees and offer free lounge access, you were out of luck. You could find cards that offer free lounge access, such as the BMO World Elite MasterCard, but getting one with both free lounge access and zero foreign currency fees was out of the question.

However, it all changed when Scotia Bank launched its Scotia Passport Visa Infinite Credit Card offering both free lounge access and zero foreign currency fees. Better yet, this card even has a lower annual fee ($140) than BMO World Elite MC ($150) and giving more free lounge entrances (6 vs BMO’s 4) via the Priority Pass program.

Scotiabank placed itself as a leader and miles ahead of other major banks by offering a zero foreign currency conversion fee with no conversion mark-up and 6 free lounge visits. Canadians have long been waiting for this type of card. Since Chase Bank pulled out its 2 zero foreign currency credit cards from Canada, the vacuum in this segment of the credit card market grew and Scotia realized faster than other banks that there was a great opportunity there.

Of course, the Scotia Passport Visa Infinite Credit Card is not a perfect travel credit card and it has its flaws. For example, it does not offer accelerated points for travel spending and all the travel insurances this card offers are not usable because the 3rd party provider makes it difficult to fulfill claims based on countless Internet reviews, ratings, and complaints.

But still, Scotia took a step in the right direction by offering the first no foreign currency fees credit card issued by one of the major Canadian banks and by lighting the path for other big Canadian banks.

Toronto And The Programs To Help Entrepreneurs

Resources For Toronto Entrepreneur

First Published: Nov 14, 2010 EntrepreneurJourney.com

Toronto is the largest city in Canada, the cultural centre of the nation and the place where many businesses get their start. With 2.6 million people in the city, it is the economic engine of the country and the place where many businesses, the largest in the country, operate out of. While Canada has many programs in place to help entrepreneurs, there are also specific programs and services in place to help entrepreneurs in Toronto get their start. Here are a few to help you know what you have available to you.

Youth MicroLoan Pilot

This program was put in place by the city council of Toronto as a way of giving young entrepreneurs from west end neighborhoods the ability to start their own business. Currently, this is just a pilot program that is going to run for a year to assess how well it works. This means that if you are a young entrepreneur from the west end, then you will want to take advantage of this immediately.

The program is funded by the City of Toronto and is in partnership with the Toronto Community Foundation, Toronto Community Housing and Alterna Savings. It provides young entrepreneurs with skills they can use in life, business development training, mentoring in business and access to loans of up to $5,000. In addition, as part of the program, those who apply will get post-loan support, access to resources, networking opportunities and much more.

The concept of the program was actually planned back in 2007 and 2008 when Enterprise Toronto created a series of workshops in 13 neighborhoods called Youth Biz, as a way of urging younger individuals to start their own business and develop their own self-employment opportunities.

So, what do you need if you want to take part in this program? To participate in the program, the youth must have an idea and no access to any other sort of business or enterprise funding. The youth must be between the age of 18 and 24, no longer be in school and in a high priority neighborhood. These neighborhoods are:

• Jane and Finch
• Weston-Mt. Dennis
• Jamestown-Rexdale
• Lawrence Heights
• Westminster Branson

In addition, the youth must be unemployed and not receiving any sort of employment insurance. To apply, contact the UrbanArts Community Arts Council at 416.241.5124 or e-mail info@urbanartstoronto.org.

Enterprise Toronto

A one-stop source of services and programs for Toronto entrepreneurs, Enterprise Toronto helps to meet the needs of those who want to start a business within the Toronto area. Enterprise Toronto assists in training and helping new entrepreneurs make good decisions to ensure that their business keeps growing. The organization has the goal to help entrepreneurs who are at the initial growth stage of their business by giving them training on business decision making, management, finding information for marketing, leadership solutions and securing sources of financing. The organization wants to help entrepreneurs in Toronto reach their full potential and have their business succeed.

Enterprise Toronto is offered and managed by the City of Toronto Economic Development and Culture Office, which provides services and programs in area of small business.

Youth Entrepreneurship Program

The YMCA Business Centre offers a program that is designed for those between the age of 15 and 30, who are not in school, are living in the York region and are not collecting employment insurance, but who want to start their own business. Offered and funded by the Government of Ontario, this is a very important program that can help a lot of people make the important decisions when they are beginning their business venture.

Some of the programs that the Youth Entrepreneurship Program offers including:

• Leaning how to start a business.
• Gaining access to financial help.
• Developing a business plan.
• Attending workshops.
• Mentoring and coaching
• Business planning
• Internet marketing
• Financial forecasting
• Networking with business owners
• Using the business resource library.

If you are interested in this program, you can contact them at ybc@ymcagta.org or by calling 905.948.9622

Step Ahead

As a woman, sometimes it can be hard to find the help you may want to run a business. Thankfully, there are organizations in place to give you a hand. Step Ahead is a not-for-profit volunteer business mentoring organization that matches women entrepreneurs who want to build their business with experienced mentors. They have the motto of “Women business owners mentoring for growth”

The program involves a 12-month Step Ahead Mentoring Program that can begin at any time during the year, and it includes 10 educational workshops and one-on-one mentoring relationship that runs for a year.

Begun in 1992 by a group of women entrepreneurs, they wanted to address the problem they saw of female entrepreneurs finding the process of growing a business difficult while juggling other duties.

Toronto Business Development Centre

Established in 1990 as an initiative of the Toronto Economic Development Corporation and the Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade, this organization has helped over 4,000 businesses in the Toronto area since it opened its doors. The organization is committed to helping entrepreneurs make their business successful by offering several resources. These services include:

• Business incubation
• Planning a business
• Seminars
• Business mail services
• Entrepreneur forums

As well, the Toronto Business Development Centre also offers programs including:

• Ontario Self-Employment Benefit
• Ontario Works Self-Employment Development
• BIZ Futures
• Summer Company
• Canadian Youth Business Foundation
• Community Outreach

Toronto is a huge city with much to offer, but with so much there it can seem overwhelming to start a business there. You may feel like there is no way to compete but you won’t know that unless you start your own business. The programs and groups mentioned here will help you get your business off the ground and, most importantly, give you the training you need to make your business successful. There is nothing saying you have to go it alone in business.