If you live in Canada you might have noticed that the collab trend from the 2010s has made a resurgence in a major way. But this time it has taken on a different form, linking. Everywhere you look different companies are wanting you to link your rewards accounts to other companies rewards accounts so you can gain even! more!! rewards!!!!!
In this article we will examine why companies are doing this and explore a couple recent promotions that might be beneficial to you.
Why?
One of the biggest reasons why brands are beginning to do this could be to strengthen brand loyalty and cut costs. With consumers having access to more information than ever before, they are able to make more informed decisions and will likely jump ship to a different brand if the price or quality is deemed better by their information sources. According to Grocery Business, brand loyalty is decreasing in favour of lower prices as costs continue to rise.1 By combining resources, brands can increase their reach, reduce their individual budgets and gain a more loyal market share by adding value for the consumer.
Scene+ x Scotiabank x Tangerine x Shell
With gas and grocery prices top of mind for all Canadians, this collab seems to be an ultimate win for all participating brands.
Let me try to explain how this one works. First, you need a Scene+ rewards account (completely free to sign up). By having this account you have access to earning rewards from various retailers. These rewards, which you could only use for free movies previously (the glory days), can now be used for movies (of course), travel, gift cards, money off groceries and gas (what we typically use it for), and more.2
Now that you have a Scene+ account, the world is your oyster. You can now link this account to all kinds of other accounts and start really earning rewards (you were just a mere amateur points earner up until now). I highly doubt that anyone would want to go through the entire process of obtaining a new credit card or switch banks for this sole purpose, but if you already bank with Scotiabank or Tangerine, or have one of their credit cards, then this could be an easy process to get additional benefits.
Scotiabank
To start earning with Scotiabank, you will need to have one of their Scene+ specific bank accounts or credit cards. While RBC has the Avion Rewards system, Scene+ is the Scotiabank equivalent. They have a couple of no fee credit card options, and you can earn 1 Scene point for every dollar you spend.3 But despite the advertising of being able to earn all kinds of extra points, the credit cards are very specific as to where you can earn those points, so if you don’t plan to buy a lot of groceries or shop at Home Hardware, then this card might not be as beneficial to you as you hoped.
Tangerine
It’s hard for me to not gate-keep this but when this collab launched, we had already had a Tangerine Money-Back World Mastercard (I plan to do posts outlining different credit cards and their benefits in the future!). Why this collab appealed to me was because of the “at the pump” fuel savings with Shell. Let me explain, with the Money-Back card you can get 2% back on two categories of your choosing, our choice is two of our highest expenses, fuel and groceries, but many other categories are available to suit your needs. To get more money off fuel, you then have to sign up for a Shell Go+ account which includes downloading the app and linking via your Tangerine account. And finally to get even more value by earning points, you can close the circle by linking your Shell Go+ account to your Scene+ account (phew). Depending on your level of card, you can earn up to $0.10 in value per litre.4 It is a bit of a hassle, but when the price on the pump actually goes down right before you fuel up, and you aren’t paying what the big sign says, it all seems to be worth it.
West Jet Rewards x Tim Hortons Rewards, Telus, SkiptheDishes, Triangle Rewards
WestJet is no stranger to linking rewards programs and for us fellow travellers, this can mean savings on travel purchases with WestJet. If you are a WestJet rewards member (completely free to sign up) and a Telus customer, you can already link your accounts through WestJet to start earning points on Telus transactions. You can also earn by linking your SkiptheDishes account and Triangle Rewards account.5
Another new linking opportunity (because you just can’t have too many) coming in 2027 is the ability to earn WestJet rewards with Tim Hortons purchases by linking your WestJet account to your Tim Hortons account.6
I could be completely off base, but WestJet rewards feels a bit along the lines of the old Air Miles rewards system (RIP) where earning is a very slow process whether you have accounts linked or not. This system really hasn’t given much value to us, we don’t travel all that often, don’t have a WestJet credit card and I only have one account linked which means I haven’t yet earned enough to even redeem the minimum (and very minuscule) amount of 2,500 point for $25.00 off a flight (wooooow). WestJet has recently restructured their points system so that you can redeem points on other things besides WestJet specific flights, but I think more time is needed to see if there is value to be had for the average consumer. I do like that they are trying to provide as many opportunities as possible for customers to earn points, but I’m just not sure it’s enough. Personally, I would lean more to a credit card rewards system that focuses on broader travel reward redemption on all flights, hotels, car rentals, etc. which seems to provide more value in my eyes than something that is just WestJet specific.
More Options to Explore
Triangle x RBC, Tim Hortons, WestJet, Petro-Points
Aeroplan x Starbucks, Uber, Journie
RBC x Triangle, PetroCanada, TicketMaster
Conclusion
Linking seems to be a great way to provide value to consumers and to increase brand loyalty. But from personal experience, rewards programs take dedication and discipline from the consumer. If the linking process becomes too complicated and convoluted, if brands connected to the rewards system are not used already by the consumer or are not conveniently placed, or if value or perceived value is not great enough, then the risk is run of losing consumers to an easier or cheaper option.
For us, the brands that decided to collab in the rewards systems that we use, all seemed to align perfectly. We already shop at Sobeys where we can now earn and redeem Scene+ rewards. Shell is the closest service station to our house where we can save money on fuel by utilizing our already existent Tangerine credit card (which was difficult to get by the way) and Scene+.
The best rewards system for you is probably the one where you won’t have to change your behaviour too drastically and will be most convenient for your lifestyle. You will then be more likely to use the rewards system to its fullest and thus reap the (ever elusive) rewards benefits.
Taylor
This post is not sponsored or affiliated with any of the brands mentioned. All claims are based solely on personal experience.
If you liked this article and want to see more like it, please like and leave a comment! If I missed anything, please feel free to let me know! Your feedback is always appreciated!
References:
2 https://www.sceneplus.ca/how-it-works
3 https://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/personal/credit-cards/sceneplus.html
4 https://www.tangerine.ca/en/personal/spend/credit-cards/shell-benefits
5 https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/rewards/everyday-partners
6 https://www.westjet.com/en-ca/news/2026/westjet-and-tim-hortons-brew-up-a-bold-new-partnership
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