What Canadians want from their rewards programs—and how to actually get it

By Jessica Gibson on November 13, 2025
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Most Canadians use rewards programs, but few are satisfied. Find out how to make the most of your credit card rewards, with flexible, easy-to-use options like the PC Mastercard.

Understanding what makes a credit card rewards program truly rewarding—things like flexibility, transparency, and everyday earning potential—can help you get more from your money. We’re exploring how to get the most value from your rewards, featuring the no annual fee PC Mastercard, showcasing how to turn everyday spending into everyday value.

What do you value most in a rewards program?

When asked to select the top factors that are important in a rewards program, nearly six in 10 Canadians (59%) said they place the most emphasis on how easy it is to redeem points. Other important features include:

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

Although most Canadians want rewards programs that are valuable and straightforward to use, only 20% are satisfied with how quickly they earn rewards, and just 19% are happy with their program’s flexibility.

“Most Canadians love the idea of getting rewarded for spending on what they are already doing,” shares financial expert, Eduek Brooks “But many quickly realize that traditional programs are complicated, slow to deliver value, and hard to use. Between clunky apps, confusing point conversions, and long waits to earn meaningful rewards, people often feel the effort outweighs the benefit.”

Match rewards to your lifestyle and spending habits

You’re not going to maximize your earnings if your loyalty program is at odds with your spending habits or lifestyle. A card that offers premium rewards on flights won’t do you much good if you rarely travel. Your points will sit idle while your everyday spending earns next to nothing.

By switching to a program that rewards your highest spending categories—say groceries, gas, or recurring bills—you’ll rack up points much faster. Even better, look for a card that rewards you on every purchase, so you’re earning no matter where you spend. You’ll also want to use a program that lets you redeem points how you want, whenever you want. No one likes waiting a full year to redeem cash back, so select a program that puts you in charge.

“If you really want your rewards to work harder for you, start by using one program for most of your spending instead of spreading points across many programs,” suggests Eduek Brooks. “When you focus your everyday purchases in one place, the points stack up fast.”

If you’re looking for a credit card that participates in a flexible rewards program, PC Financial’s no annual fee Mastercard is a good option. You get 1% back in PC Optimum points everywhere you shop plus up to 4.5% back at Shoppers Drug Mart, and up to 3% back at their banner grocery stores—without any earning caps. Plus, you’ll get at least 3 cents per litre back on Esso and Mobil purchases. The card is a great example of how you can earn clear value with every purchase.

Article Continues Below Advertisement

PC Mastercard

go to site

Annual fee: $0

Rewards: 10 – 25 Points per dollar

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 everything else

go to site

Card details

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

More value, more flexibility: The PC Mastercard approach

Let’s take a look at how the no annual fee PC Mastercard delivers what cardholders really want from a credit card rewards program.

Earning points should be transparent and easy

Complex earning and redemption structures likely contribute to Canadians’ dissatisfaction with most rewards programs. The PC Mastercard takes the opposite approach, with easy-to-use rewards through PC Optimum, without the need to track rotating categories or complicated tiers.

When you use your PC Mastercard, every 10,000 PC Optimum points equals $10 off at Loblaw banner stores or a free car wash at Esso, keeping things simple and transparent.

You can check your points balance anytime through the PC Financial app, making it easy to track your rewards on the go

Flexible redemption options

Having the flexibility to redeem points on your own terms is important for many. Once you’ve accumulated PC Optimum points you can start redeeming increments of 10,000 points, whether it’s on groceries or everyday essentials.

Plus, they have recently introduced a new feature to use points toward your credit card balance (10,000 minimum points to redeem $7), giving you even greater flexibility on where you want to use your points. With no waiting for reward cycles or card anniversaries, you can use your points on your terms and turn your everyday spending into everyday rewards.

Rewards programs are very popular with Canadians, with almost everyone belonging to at least one. But it’s worth asking: is yours really rewarding you?

“Rewards should be seamless and meaningful,” explains Eduek. “When points are easy to earn and easy to redeem, people feel the value immediately and keep coming back.”

The PC Mastercard links directly to PC Optimum and shows how powerful a seamless, transparent, and rewarding system can be keeping Canadians engaged, satisfied, and coming back for more.

During Financial Literacy Month, take the time to review your credit card rewards program and make sure it’s working as hard to give you that extra value, making every dollar go further.

Visit pcfinancial.ca to explore how you can turn everyday spending into all-in-one rewards.

Methodology

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

About Jessica Gibson

Jessica Gibson is a personal finance writer with over a decade of experience in online publishing. She enjoys helping readers make informed decisions about credit cards, insurance, and debt management.