Supporting Canadian Businesses this Summer

Did you know Canada..  Our dollar moved down 0.27 of a cent to close on Monday at 95.37 cents US after going as low as 94.75 cents!

The last time the dollar was at par was early February and most economists agree this decline is only the beginning. There are no signs that it will reach parity in the near future with the US dollar either.

This means it's not a good time for cross border shopping, what it is a good time for is keeping your dollars in Canada and supporting your local businesses.

I've watched all the same shows you have about coupons and savings in the states, I've even done my own shopping there.  I won't deny there is many a deal to be found at Khols and other retailers but there are coupons and deals available here in Canada too if you look for them.  You can get Discounts on Vistaprint Products, clearance buys and free shipping on children's clothes, sign up for daily group buying deals and more.

We recently planned a whole mini vacation using group buys and discounts and we're excited to stay in country and enjoy some of the attractions Canada has to offer!

Check your weekly ads, price match, visit local attractions, and support your fellow neighbours before it's too late!

Are you staying local this summer?

Government vs Private Auto Insurance #Canada #T2T

Did you know Canada..  I bet every time someone gets a new car at work or in the family the topic of auto insurance comes up and someone mentions that the government should operate the car insurance business.  I'd love to chat about this with you guys, what do you think?

Here's some straight up facts about Government vs Private Auto Insurance..

First of all, all insurance providers already run within a strict framework of provincial laws that are supervised by a number of government agencies, like rate review boards and both federal and provincial regulators.

The average cost to establish a government-run insurance company by province would be $300-$500 million - yikes!  Not only would there be these enormous start-up costs, but all government-run auto insurers in Canada have required taxpayer subsidies to bail them out.

With private auto insurance the rates reflect the true cost. Premiums in a competitive environment reflect the real cost of insuring a driver.

The government would offer static solutions for consumers, that would mean we lose out on multi-vehicle discounts and the like.

The private insurance industry in Canada employs almost 100,000 people, either directly or through its support of a broker workforce, that's big!

Insurance Bureau of Canada wants you to Get In the Know about Auto Insurance.  By the way, anyone ever try to tell you a red car costs more in insurance?  Well guess what, it has no impact on your car insurance premium - phew!  Visit their website to learn more about auto insurance, what it means for you, and be prepared with real facts for your next office chat.


Disclosure: Although this post has generously been sponsored by Insurance Bureau of Canada, the opinions and language are all my own, and in no way do they reflect Insurance Bureau of Canada.

NHL - what's going on now?

Did you know Canada..  well, we all know the talks continue to fall through, things continue to be cancelled and we are all down in the dumps about it.

A bit of good news though, The NHL and union hadn't met since October 18 but had an all day session on Saturday and as promised, are back at the table today in New York.

So it is *possible* the season, though a short one, can still be saved, don't throw out your jerseys, horns and big wavy hands yet!  I know some people are chomping at the bit to get back into betting on NHL games too, making for more excitement as you watch the game.  Click here to visit canada.betfair.com, who can give you a great summary of the best bets around at the moment while you wait for the NHL to return.

If you can't wait for an NHL deal to come to fruition, check out local games!  We are heading to a local Junior B game this weekend, comfortable seats, cheaper hot dogs and popcorn, still a good game, can even bring the kids!  Or go up a level and look into the OHL/Junior A hockey, these are serious competitors and some of these guys will be called up to the big league, support them now to help them grow.

Do you think the NHL season can be saved?

MARS Canada Helps Save Community Hockey Rinks In Canada #workrestplay

Did you know Canada..  we are a hockey family, my boys just have their second game of the season tomorrow at 7:30AM (!!!).  So we were so happy to learn about MARS Canada and the work they are doing in partnership with Hockey Canada.

I wasn't surprised to learn that a recent survey conducted by Leger Marketing and commissioned by the Mars brand revealed that while more than 90% of Canadians live near an ice rink, and value the positive impact a rink has on a community, most are surprisingly unaware of the current physical state of their facilities.  We are lucky to have a fairly new rink in our small town, but I have been in many rinks across the country that have been in various states of disrepair.  Now as a "hockey Mom" I really know how much it means to the community to have these facilities be a welcoming place for our kids.  Learn more about some of these rinks that need a facelift on the Mars Bar website, including one very close to me, the Western Fair Sports Centre in London Ontario.

Thankfully Mars Canada is ready to help out!  After the successful renovation of a rink in Grand Manan, N.B., Mars has further identified five local rinks within Canada that could use a bit of a facelift. Now, by purchasing a specially marked Mars and entering the PIN code contained inside the wrapper at www.marsbar.ca,  Canadians will activate a $5 contribution, up to a maximum of $100,000 in 2012, to be shared amongst the participating community rinks in need of renovations.  Isn't this awesome???  Love that a single bar equals a 5 dollar contribution, we will get to the $100,000 goal in no time!

We got an amazing package from Mars in the spirit of the campaign that was perfect for my family.  An awesome Hockey Canada jersey that went right into the hockey bag and out the door to weekly hockey games so I haven't seen it since..haha..

Along with this awesome Mars skate bag that hubby was thrilled with as he often takes the boys skating on Sunday afternoons and didn't have one, also enough Mars bars to share with friends and family - they have been making hubby a hero at work!

So know when you grab a Mars Bar and enter the PIN code you are doing something to help improve the home away from home for so many little skaters in our country.

We are so excited to share a fantastic giveaway with our readers to celebrate, enter below for your chance to win a $50 Mars prize pack with product and merchandise included!!!  Good luck Canada, and join the conversation on Twitter using hashtag #workrestplay.

Giveaway

Apple Picking (or lack there of)

Did you know Canada..  you might remember back in May when we posted:


Did you know Canada.. some sad news going around Southern Ontario. With our unusually warm weather in March followed by cold April nights there has been devastating losses to farmers in Southern Ontario. Most apple farmers have lost almost their entire crop of apples for the season. As we've mentioned before Ontario is Canada's largest apple producer and an industry that is worth up $400 million in Ontario.

Environment Canada refers to this spring as one that has produced four seasons in one - I suffered the same thing in my garden. The warm weather had trees and flowers budding and blooms and the below freezing April nights killed them all off.

It's not going to be a happy fall season in Southern Ontario this year!

Well it has come to pass, MANY apple orchards across Southern Ontario have NO apples.  I've called around to a few local orcahrds, hoping to take the kiddos out picking this weekend and there are either absolutely no apples, or only a very minimal amount available.  I'm quiet sad about this, it's been a family tradition for years, we've been taking the boys since they were only two months old!

Ontario is Canada's largest apple producer and the McIntosh, which is the only variety grown in all apple-growing regions of Canada, makes up half of all Canadian apple production.  Apples are also Canada's largest fruit crop in terms of weight of food produced - so this is big (sad and frustrating) news in Canada!

LOWEST Crime Reporting Rate In History

Did you know Canada.. I read a surprising article in the National Post saying Statistics Canada is reporting the rate of crimes reported to Canadian police forces reached its lowest level in 40 years in 2011.

Another surprising quote was that this marked the eighth consecutive decrease in Canada’s crime rate.

Some other interesting facts included that Nunavut, N.W.T., the Yukon have highest province/territory crime rate, and Ontario, N.B. and P.E.I. have lowest crime rates by province/territory.  I personally would have thought Ontario would have a high crime rate with big cities like Toronto.

When you turn on the TV it seems like all types of crimes are on the rise, but it looks like we are getting tougher on crime - I hope this is the case, but I'm honestly not sure if I feel any safer.

What do you think?

National Road Safety Week

Did you know Canada.. it is National Road Safety Week (May 15-21) - especially with the long weekend coming up, it's time to increase vigilance and concentration when on the road. I was ashamed to read that a study commissioned by TheSteelAlliance and Canada Safety Council demonstrated that 80% of drivers admitted to multi-tasking while behind the wheel. I see SO MANY people texting and talking on the phone - it is not only unsafe, it is ILLEGAL! A driver sending a text message is 23 times more likely than a non-distracted driver to get in a collision. Driving is not the time to be putting on make-up or anything else either.

This comes on the cusp of yesterday - one friend got into a fender bender after the person in front of them braked too quickly and another friend's husband witnessed a crash happen right in front of them. Thank goodness there was no tragedies with my friends yesterday, but it was close, too close and we simply have to be better drivers.

This is the time of year when kids and adults are on bikes, rollerbladers are out there, everyone stays out late, travelling more, you must, must, must pay attention to the road at all times. Discuss this with family and friends this week too. For new drivers make sure they are getting the proper skills, I am a Young Drivers Graduate and all the better for it. Our teens need the proper skills and information to navigate traffic safely.

Remember, interacting with traffic is often the most dangerous thing a person will do over the course of an average day. Step it up Canada, your babies and mine are at stake every time we head out on the road.

Study: Factors associated with voting

Did you know Canada.. Stats Canada released an interesting article today examining the factors associated with voting in the May 2, 2011, federal election.

Some of the highlights include..

* Home owners had significantly higher voting rates than renters

* Employed people were more likely to vote than the unemployed or those not in the labour force after controls were in place for factors like age and education

* Single parents with children under 5 were much less likely to vote than those couples with children under 5

* Those 65- to 74-year-olds were most likely to vote

You can read the full article by Stats Canada here.

One Year Blog Anniversary!!

Did you know Canada.. it was one year ago today that we started bring you facts and information about Canada. We have evolved in so many ways this past year, helping to promote Canadian businesses big and small, attending a conference, going to (and co-hosting) tweet-ups and events.

It's been a fantastic year, and we look forward to bringing you more great Canadian information, giveaways, events and fun in this coming year.

If there's something you'd like to see from us in the coming year please let us know, would love to chat with you!! Email any time didyouknowcanada@gmail.com

Cheers Canada!!

What Attracts Canadians

Did you know Canada.. with Valentine's Day coming up Dentyne is exposing what attracts Canadians!

“Dentyne knows fresh breath can make or break chemistry, but we wanted to find out what other ‘Elements of Attraction’ spark a romantic reaction,” Pam Clarkson, Senior Brand Manager of Dentyne Canada is quoted as saying.

Here's some of the results..

When it comes to chemistry which of the following is the most essential trait or element of attraction in someone?
33% say Humorous! - next up was Marriage material at 12%, Successful came in way behind at 9% and I was really surprised to see Adventurous at 8% (thought there must be some pretty Adventurous folks in SK/MB, they put Adventurous at 13%!!)

Which of the following traits would you use to best describe yourself?
25% say Low Maintenance - hmmm.. I'm not so sure I agree with that! AND, only 10% named “Low Maintenance” as the most essential trait or element of attraction in someone else. Next up was Humorous at 21%, that one I can get behind.

When you feel an attraction to someone, do you act on it?
31% said YES and 32% said NO! Leaving the rest saying N/A - how close is that? However, that number jumps to a 43% YES for those aged 18 to 34, and 46% YES for those who speak French! Do you act on it??

This Valentine's Day Dentyne is ready for a chemistry debate. Just visit the Dentyne Canada Facebook site for discussions around the “Elements of Attraction” right up to February 14!

Everyone knows if you want to attract that special someone you better start with fresh breath first, so we're giving away 5 packs of Dentyne gum! That's the big packs holding 12 packs of gum each!! Enter below for your chance to win..

Giveaway

Best Santa in Canada

Did you know Canada.. after yesterday's dangerous cities, let's lighten it up and find out what cities have the best resources for Santa!!

Check out this study from MPI. A top 10 list of places that would best suit Santa and his needs. They looked at five variables important to his lifestyle: (1) the number of cookie factories per capita; (2) the number of milk producers per capita; (3) the number of doll, toy and game manufacturing establishments per capita; (4) the number of postal service workers/couriers per capita (to receive and reply to wish lists); and (5) department stores per capita.

Did your city make the list??

Most Dangerous Cities

Did you know Canada.. Macleans has released a new study listing the most dangerous cities in Canada.

With 2010 annual crime data from Stats Canada for municipal police services serving the country's 100 largest populations. These 2010 rates per 100,000 people studied six categories: crimes—homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, vehicle theft, robbery plus breaking and entering—Maclean’s then calculated the percentage difference from the national rate.

Click here to use their interactive maps and lists to see where your city ranks!

ShesConnected Conference

Did you know Canada.. I wanted to share some facts and information that came out of the recent ShesConnected Conference, both the brands and the Digitally Connected Women had a lot to share.

The brands and sponsors had some great facts to share, including..

* Canada is second largest single country donor to World Food Program
* In Sri Lanka there are women going out every single day in search of wood to cook for their families, they are crossing areas filled with mines, the stoves are causing breathing problems and it is not safe for these women in any way - purchasing a $5 SAFE Stove can provide a stove for a women to feed her family using half the wood
* $1 a day can feed a family of four in some developing countries
* Molson has been brewing for 225 years
* Chicken Farmers of Canada promise us there is no hormones in chickens
* Chicken Farmers of Canada also wants everyone to know the 10 legged, 6 winged chicken supposedly found at KFC is a myth
* Ford is focusing on green cars - including using recycled jeans, using wheat straw in their plastic pieces in their cars


From our sessions a lot of fantastic information came out of them as well..

* There's never been a better time to be a woman according to Sheryl Connelly from Ford
* Many bloggers believe their time is worth money and when working with brands they should be paid
* Moms trust the opinions of other Moms and want to hear about products and services from them
* Ask for help when you need it, really, just ask - this is very hard for many women, I know
* It's more important who you are connected with, not so much about how many, it's not always about numbers
* You and your family will appreciate the history and stories of your lives, no other generation has had this - keep blogging, writing and archiving your memories

Giveaway! RateSupermarket.ca

Update: Giveaway is now closed, thank you everyone for commenting!!

Did you know Canada.. RateSupermarket.ca is an awesome Canadian site to compare mortgage rates, credit cards, insurance and more.

They just launched a brand new section of our site called LEARN that is dedicated to promoting financial literacy for Canadians through articles, tips, tools, and guides!

Whether you are just starting out or "been around the block" there is great information here for everyone. I spent hours reading through their site and their emails, it started discussions with my husband and I was able to pass some information on to a friend that she wasn't aware of.

One new tool from the LEARN is their First Time Home Buyer's Guide which is a series of 14 daily emails to get property newbies into shape for buying their first home (think of it like a two week bootcamp for buying your first home). Throughout the series they've also included quizes, tools, and tips along the way. I really love these emails, they are fun, easy to read and gives you great information - straight to the point as well, no 100 page novel of information you're not looking for.

And check this out, How to Save $65,541 on your Mortgage in 3 Simple Steps.

I was very impressed with how easy they made it to sign up and how quickly you could access all their fantastic information. This is a great tool for every Canadian!!!

Giveaway

While you immerse yourself in this great information we're giving away a $50 Starbucks card to one lucky reader! You ALWAYS need a coffee by your side while you get informed and plan for the future.

Mandatory Entry - one mandatory entry per person
Use this widget to sign up for the First Time HomeBuyer's Guide - they make it so easy to sign up, you don't even have to leave our page! Leave us a comment once you've signed up.

Mortgage Rates | Credit Cards | Savings Rates

Optional Entries - 1 comment per each optional entry
- Follow Did you know Canada on GFC
- Follow @RateSupermarket on Twitter
- Follow @diduknowcanada on Twitter
- Like RateSupermarket on Facebook
- Like Did you know Canada on Facebook
- Subscribe to our newsletter
- Subscribe to Rate Supermarket's Newsletter
- Tweet this giveaway (link to your tweet in comment, can be done 2x a day during giveaway)
Example Tweet..

#Canada LEARN some great tips from RateSupermarket.ca & enter to win a $50 Starbucks card!10/04 @diduknowcanada http://bit.ly/oKp5Cf #CanWin

Giveaway open to our Canadian readers, closing October 4th at 9:00pm EST. You must leave an email address so I have a way to contact you in the event that you win. Winners must respond within 72 hours or another winner will be chosen in their place.

Disclosure: We signed up for the service to try it as well - my opinions are my own.

Watch your speed

Did you know Canada.. I found a really interesting (and maybe surprising) fact today: According to the National Motorists Association Windsor ON has the second highest number of speed traps in North America!!

#1 place goes to Livonia, MI in the States. Hamilton ON is #15 and Toronto #17.

With the Labour Day Weekend coming up watch your speed as you head down the 401, for both your safety and the safety of others!!

CN Tower

Did you know Canada..  we all know about the CN Tower, many of you have probably visited it!  But here's some fast facts you may not know..

* In 1995, the CN Tower was classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers

* In 1976 it was the world's tallest free-standing structure and world's tallest tower and held the record for 34 years

* Its name "CN" originally referred to Canadian National, the railway company that built the tower

* 1,537 workers toiled five days a week, 24 hours a day to build the CN Tower

* The CN Tower's Glass Floor was the first of its kind when it was opened in June 1994

* The floor in the 360-degree restaurant rotates once every 72 minutes allowing everyone a complete and unobstructed view of the city below

* The CN Tower introduced North America's first and the world's highest glass floor paneled elevator

Who's been?  What was your favourite part??

Our Largest Island

Did you know Canada.. The largest Island in Canada is Baffin Island (part of the territory of Nunavut). It's also the fifth biggest island on Earth.

(Connormah)

Baffin Island is home to much wildlife including harp seals, walrus, barren-ground caribou, polar bear, arctic fox, arctic hare, lemming and arctic wolf; as well as many species of migrating birds.

Baffin Island also a hot spot for BASE jumping thanks to it's wide array of cliffs. It also welcomes visitors for skiing, kayaking, mountain climbing and more.

Sounds like a fantastic spot - who's been there??

The Iceberg Capital of the World

Did you know Canada.. Twillingate, an outport in Newfoundland and Labrador, is known as the Iceberg Capital of the World!

(Aconcagua)

Twillingate is one of Newfoundland’s best locations for admiring these icebergs that break off the ice cap in Baffin Island, Greenland. The prime season for iceberg viewing is mid May to mid July each year.

As of 2006 there was only 2,448 residents living in Twillingate but visitors flock to Twillingate to explore it's fishing heritage, and discover the mighty icebergs and whales that gather in its waters.

A must to do for visitors in Twillingate is trying a piece of iceberg or “bergy bit” in your drink. These icebergs are ancient structures of pure glacier water and when a bergy bit melts in a glass filled with a beverage, it makes a fizzing sound, called “bergy seltzer”. This sound is made when compressed air bubbles trapped in the iceberg pop. The bubbles come from air trapped in snow layers that later become glacial ice.

Source: Twillingate.com, Wikipedia

Beat the Heat

Did you know Canada.. we're going to break some records today! Records for highest temperature and humidex dating back to 1918 will likely be broken today as temperatures rise to 38-39 degrees and a humidex of 49-50!!!

This is not a day to brush off the warnings thinking they are meant for someone else. All Canadians - please check on neighbours, ensure they have cool water, fans and ways to keep their body temperatures down. If they don't, get them to a cooling centre! If your city or town will be facing the extreme hit today they've likely set up one or more local cooling centres - tune into local news to find out these locations and utilize them if needed.

AM980News tweeted a very interesting fact this morning: It'll be hotter in London, Ontario today than it is in Kandahar, Mumbai and parts of Ghana!

I read an interesting (and scary) story yesterday (I think it was on the Weather Network) that it's not so much the day time temperatures but because temperatures are not going below 20 degrees at night this is causing two serious problems:
* for those without a/c and ways to cool off the body does not get a chance to rebuild itself and prepare for the next day - this it what has killed many during heatwaves in our history
* this can also lead to "superstorms" with what was seen at Bayfest as just the start of them if temperatures continue

So stay cool Canada, remember our little ones and seniors, if anyone is playing sports today call ahead as many have been cancelled already.

Stolen Vehicles in Canada

Did you know Canada.. 2010 was the fourth straight year the Honda Civic is Canada's most stolen vehicle. Other vehicles on the list include Cadillac Escalade, Acura RSX and Hummer H2's.

Unfortunately no vehicle is safe. A professional thief can steal a car in about 30 seconds, even without a key.

Also about 25% of vehicles stolen in Canada are never recovered; many are stripped for parts or exported to other countries.

I've never had a vehicle stolen but a co-worker from many years ago did, and my car was parked right beside hers - eek!

Do you ever worry when parking your car that it might not be there when you come back?