Search found 2330 matches
- 14 Jul 2023 17:46
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: CBSA passport checks off the jetbridge returning to Canada. Frequency? Delays? Targeted/Random?
- Replies: 3
- Views: 412
Re: CBSA passport checks off the jetbridge returning to Canada. Frequency? Delays? Targeted/Random?
Yes, I experienced this on a flight from Beijing to Vancouver. This was many years ago. I believe they were looking for passengers without the proper ID (passport/visa). If they found anyone like that, they would not be allowed off the plane and they became the airline's problem. Anyway, they were not interested in a couple of Canadians returning home and we were waved through quickly.
- 08 Jul 2023 22:16
- Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
- Topic: Property Tax
- Replies: 44
- Views: 17431
Re: Property Tax
It depends on what one wants. Tax base provides for better streets, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, bike paths, rec centres, lighting, plows, sanders, and a host of other things. One could live off the grid with no services at the other extreme for a very low tax rate. That's the promise. Reality is not the same. I lived in Langford before and after incorporation. The mayor's attitude was "the developers know what's best" and the muppet councillors gave him their votes. Langford is now "Surrey on the Island". Our increased taxes subsidised the developers and all we got was traffic congestion. Yuck! I really think public officials who made poor decisions like that should be punished for their misjudgment. Too many politicians...
- 30 Jun 2023 19:10
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: Happy Canada Day Weekend!
- Replies: 16
- Views: 659
Re: Happy Canada Day Weekend!
OK, you are forgiven.
- 30 Jun 2023 18:17
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: Happy Canada Day Weekend!
- Replies: 16
- Views: 659
Re: Happy Canada Day Weekend!
Yes! You can fly the flag this weekend without people thinking you are an anti-vax, freedom convoy supporter.
Lucky for me that my great grand parents came here looking for a better life.
Lucky for me that my great grand parents came here looking for a better life.
- 29 Jun 2023 09:43
- Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
- Topic: Property Tax
- Replies: 44
- Views: 17431
Re: Property Tax
Yes, the user fees are increasing so the authorities can say they are keeping taxes low.
We will soon be getting another user fee of about $300 added to our annual tax and fees bill. This is for garbage collection. A "staff report" says that the public service can do it better than the private service. So our local gov't is putting our current private contractor out of business.
We will soon be getting another user fee of about $300 added to our annual tax and fees bill. This is for garbage collection. A "staff report" says that the public service can do it better than the private service. So our local gov't is putting our current private contractor out of business.
- 28 Jun 2023 13:22
- Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
- Topic: Recommendations (or warnings) on which bank to choose as my executor and POA?
- Replies: 33
- Views: 1387
Recommendations (or warnings) on which bank to choose as my executor and POA?
Can no one answer this?ScrapPaper wrote: ↑27 Jun 2023 19:00
(2) Do you have any recommendations (or warnings) on which bank to choose as my executor and POA? Their fee structures vary somewhat, and seem to be calculated in different ways, which I find hard to understand and compare. So it's going to be a tough choice for me, but one I must make quite quickly. If anyone has been through this decision process themselves, I'd welcome your insights and suggestions. If there's no big difference between the 5, then what was your deciding factor?
Split from Best Bank Account for Seniors -- admin
- 27 Jun 2023 16:24
- Forum: Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind
- Topic: Directing How Your Inheritance Is Used?
- Replies: 13
- Views: 1149
Re: Directing How Your Inheritance Is Used?
What about using a Testamentary Trust?
- 25 Jun 2023 22:59
- Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
- Topic: Possible downsides of condo ownership
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1765
Re: Possible downsides of condo ownership
Lots of info on this web site for you to read. The condo smarts columns are particularly interesting:
https://choa.bc.ca/resources/newspaper-columns/
https://choa.bc.ca/resources/newspaper-columns/
- 24 Jun 2023 15:48
- Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
- Topic: Best Credit Card (2021 - 2025)
- Replies: 515
- Views: 33150
Re: Best Credit Card (2021 - 2025)
The Alaska (MBNA) Mastercard gave you an annual companion fare deal and free checked bags. That's gone now.
Alaska is a reliable air line. Best way to fly out of YYJ, IMO.
Alaska is a reliable air line. Best way to fly out of YYJ, IMO.
- 24 Jun 2023 15:42
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: Cellphones 2023 and onwards [and plans]
- Replies: 87
- Views: 5411
Re: Cellphones 2023 and onwards [and plans]
I bought my wife a Nokia phone using the KaiOS. It's like an old school phone. Very easy to use. Has buttons! No Apple! no Android!
https://www.kaiostech.com/explore/devices/
https://www.kaiostech.com/explore/devices/
- 22 Jun 2023 20:00
- Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
- Topic: Best Credit Card (2021 - 2025)
- Replies: 515
- Views: 33150
Re: Best Credit Card (2021 - 2025)
Letter in the snail mail today from MBNA. My MBNA Best Western Platinum Plus Mastercard will be replaced by a MBNA Rewards Platinum Plus Mastercard in September.
Don't really care about the Best Western * part although we used the points we had accumulated on a road trip to California earlier this year. Got 2 free nights at BW Plus hotels and a half price rate at another.
Big change is in the insurance. No more Rental car coverage or other travel insurance. All they are providing now is mobile device insurance.
I want the travel insurance especially the rental car coverage without paying an annual fee. So, l suppose it's time to look for another card.
* Looks like the Alaska Airlines card is no longer available too.
Don't really care about the Best Western * part although we used the points we had accumulated on a road trip to California earlier this year. Got 2 free nights at BW Plus hotels and a half price rate at another.
Big change is in the insurance. No more Rental car coverage or other travel insurance. All they are providing now is mobile device insurance.
I want the travel insurance especially the rental car coverage without paying an annual fee. So, l suppose it's time to look for another card.
* Looks like the Alaska Airlines card is no longer available too.
- 13 Jun 2023 15:49
- Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
- Topic: High interest savings, GICs and MMFs (2023)
- Replies: 1056
- Views: 87814
Re: High interest savings, GICs and MMFs (2023)
Yes, no problem buying F series at QTrade. If you try to buy the A series, a "please call us" message pops up and the trade does not go through. I suppose that if you call, they will help you understand the difference and make the right choice.
- 13 Jun 2023 15:39
- Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
- Topic: Transfering funds at Maturity
- Replies: 4
- Views: 579
Re: Transfering funds at Maturity
It's possible that BMO may put a hold on the funds. It's in your account, but you cannot transfer it out for 3 to 5 days. However, since the money is going to BMOIL, the hold may be waived. (I'm not a BMO/BMOIL customer, so I don't know for sure)
- 11 Jun 2023 22:34
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: Good and/or Underrated Movies and TV shows
- Replies: 2489
- Views: 97892
Re: Good and/or Underrated Movies and TV shows
We are watching two French series Tropiques Criminels and Astrid et Raphaelle. The Google translated subtitles are not very good. The series may be shown on an English network with decent subtitles some day; the early series are available. Of course, there is no guarantee that the current series will be picked up.
I'm hoping that AI will lead to better subtitles.
I'm hoping that AI will lead to better subtitles.
- 30 May 2023 13:12
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: Electric Cars
- Replies: 601
- Views: 39601
Re: Electric Cars
Now coming up to the second anniversary of the purchase of our Lexus hybrid. We are happy with it - so far no issues at all.
Our car has the V6 hybrid and it's fast. While driving down to California in January, I had to remind my wife to slow down. She was occasionally doing over 90 mph in 70 mph zones on the freeway. Luckily, we didn't get a ticket.
I figure that we save about 3 litres / 100 km over the Acura we traded in. So, maybe saving $700 / year in fuel. Whatever.
Our car has the V6 hybrid and it's fast. While driving down to California in January, I had to remind my wife to slow down. She was occasionally doing over 90 mph in 70 mph zones on the freeway. Luckily, we didn't get a ticket.
I figure that we save about 3 litres / 100 km over the Acura we traded in. So, maybe saving $700 / year in fuel. Whatever.
- 25 May 2023 12:52
- Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
- Topic: What are you doing just in case the US defaults?
- Replies: 22
- Views: 1321
Re: What are you doing just in case the US defaults?
Reminds me of the "fiscal cliff" fiaso. I bought same VFV at a bargain price.
This time I'm doing nothing.
This time I'm doing nothing.
- 20 May 2023 23:27
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: flying in comfort - business class?
- Replies: 82
- Views: 3897
Re: flying in comfort - business class?
Travelling first class with Alaska isn't that great. However, not having to sit next to a potentially oversized stranger in undersized seats makes the extra cost worth it.
Alaska's lounge is not a first class lounge. They let anyone with an Alaska credit card in so it can be more pleasant to wait in the departure lounge. I need to find out if you can use an Alaska first class ticket to get into a real first class lounge with a "partner" airline.
Alaska's lounge is not a first class lounge. They let anyone with an Alaska credit card in so it can be more pleasant to wait in the departure lounge. I need to find out if you can use an Alaska first class ticket to get into a real first class lounge with a "partner" airline.
- 03 May 2023 00:20
- Forum: Property: Owning, Renting, Managing, Investing and Mortgaging
- Topic: How much has your home insurance risen?
- Replies: 170
- Views: 45309
Re: How much has your home insurance risen?
Still shopping around and getting more info. It seems that cost of earthquake coverage has nearly tripled. That's if you can get it as some companies are no longer offering it at all. They are also estimating construction costs are up 30%. Materials and labour are both up. No kidding - I bought a sheet of plywood and some lumber a few days ago - ouch! So, I'm giving up on the earthquake coverage. My mortgage co required it but my mortgage was paid off years ago so I'm not forced to buy it. Even if I bought it, the deductible would have been about $75K. I have reinforced the floor with steel plates where the columns meet the beams. Brick decorative facing and chimney is vulnerable. I could replace the brick facing with Hardie Plank. The chim...
- 30 Apr 2023 11:56
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: Calgary Arena
- Replies: 13
- Views: 709
Re: Calgary Arena
So... Edmonton fans will be subsidising Calgary fans.
(I shouldn't laugh since all BC taxpayers will be subsidising Surreys police force )
(I shouldn't laugh since all BC taxpayers will be subsidising Surreys police force )
- 27 Apr 2023 19:17
- Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
- Topic: General Pension Options
- Replies: 15
- Views: 1148
Re: General Pension Options
The "level" option means the pension goes down at 65 when presumably your CPP starts.
- 27 Apr 2023 11:55
- Forum: Taxing Situations
- Topic: File before strike!
- Replies: 73
- Views: 4069
- 25 Apr 2023 17:11
- Forum: Taxing Situations
- Topic: Question about instalments
- Replies: 54
- Views: 2572
Re: Question about instalments
deleted - not relevant to OP's question
- 21 Apr 2023 15:37
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: Working From Home
- Replies: 43
- Views: 2159
Re: Working From Home
20 years ago I pushed our company to allow WFH. The union was dead set against it*. Now we have a union demanding it. What a difference a pandemic makes.
*The union was worried that workers would not take required breaks, do not have ergonomically correct workstations at their home, the boss would be calling them at home, it would be unfair to those who can't work at home since they don't have high speed internet, it would be unfair to those who have to be at the office such as receptionists and executive secretaries, ...
*The union was worried that workers would not take required breaks, do not have ergonomically correct workstations at their home, the boss would be calling them at home, it would be unfair to those who can't work at home since they don't have high speed internet, it would be unfair to those who have to be at the office such as receptionists and executive secretaries, ...
- 19 Apr 2023 12:12
- Forum: Community Centre
- Topic: Google Chrome
- Replies: 205
- Views: 8088
Re: Google Chrome
From the same article:
Users who run other Chromium-based web browsers should pay attention to updates for their browsers, as these are also affected by the security issue. Expect updates for Edge, Brave and other browsers soon.
- 18 Apr 2023 10:48
- Forum: Taxing Situations
- Topic: File before strike!
- Replies: 73
- Views: 4069
Re: File before strike!
In writing from CRA on my NOA:
To avoid additional interest charges please pay by May 2, 2023.