How to Choose the Best Canadian Tire Credit Card

The best Canadian Tire Credit Card for your needs

In the following lines, find everything you need to know about Canadian Tire credit cards, under the Mastercard umbrella. You will learn more about the Triangle program, but also about purchase discounts!

The Triangle Rewards Program: an overview

The Triangle Rewards program is a must when introducing Canadian Tire Credit Cards. The reason is simple: you automatically become a member by opting for the Triangle Mastercard or World Elite Mastercard credit cards.

Do you absolutely need a Canadian Tire credit card to benefit? Not at all! The Triangle Rewards Program is open to everyone. You can become a member and collect points from a card, a keychain or via the Triangle mobile application.

Here are the main advantages:

• Earn Canadian Tire cash back to reduce your next purchase
• Provides access to an easy-to-use application where you can check your Canadian Tire ‘Money’ in real time and view the day’s deals
• Features options to maximize your rewards such as “Spend and Earn” events and “Triangle Bonus Days

Contrary to popular belief, the Triangle program has not replaced Canadian Tire money. In fact, it only allows to simplify its operation. That’s why you won’t see “points” in your account, as most rewards programs offer. You will see Canadian Tire money (CT money).

Will this program benefit me?

This program is beneficial if you or your family are athletic. Why? Because Triangle allows you to accumulate and spend your CT money at retailers that are mostly specialized in the sale of sporting goods. We are talking about stores such as Sports Experts, Atmosphere and Hockey Experts. Of course, you can spend it at Canadian Tire; a wide range of items for the whole home can be found there, from coffee machines to outdoor furniture.

If you have the ideal profile, one of the Canadian Tire Triangle credit cards could also prove very profitable for you. We will come back to this later… For now, let’s remember that this loyalty program is free and beneficial to many!

Triangle Mastercard credit card

This is the most popular credit card offered by Canadian Tire Bank – yes, a real bank! The most significant advantage of the Triangle Mastercard is that it has no annual fees. As for interest rates, it’s 19.99% for purchases and 22.99% for cash advances and balance transfers.

What we like about this card is the generous 4% cash back in CT Money on all purchases at participating retailers (Canadian Tire, Mark’s, Atmosphere, Sports Experts, Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, and L’Entrepôt du Hockey).

How often do you return items to stores? If so, you’ll love the “cash back without receipt” feature of the Canadian Tire Triangle Mastercard. You may also be interested in learning more about the “installment” option. Indeed, the card allows you to pay for any purchase over $200 over 24 months in equal payments, with no fees or interest!

Also, the Canadian Tire Triangle Mastercard credit card offers 1.5% CT cash back. Specifically, the first $12,000 charged to the card annually is the benefit. This means you can save $180 a year on your groceries.

Regarding gas discounts, the card offers an instant 5¢ per litre reduction when using the credit card as a payment method. This is only applicable at participating Essence+, Gaz+, and Husky stations. Even if this option does not allow you to accumulate CT Money, it can be profitable for those who travel a lot.

Speaking of CT Money; by using your Canadian Tire Mastercard credit card, you get 0.8% cash back on all other purchases. This discount can only be spent at Canadian Tire stores.

Can I get this card?

Any Canadian resident 18 years of age or older can apply for the Canadian Tire Triangle Mastercard. However, you must have a Social Insurance Number and meet credit requirements.

Triangle World Elite Mastercard

Very similar to the Triangle Mastercard, the Canadian Tire World Elite credit card offers a few other benefits. As with the previous one, no annual fees are charged. Also, interest rates remain the same: 19.99% on purchases and 22.99% for cash advances and balance transfers.

Here are the additional benefits:

• 3% cash back rate on groceries for the first $20,000 (up to $300 cash back). After reaching $20,000, the rate drops to 1%. This discount is available at all grocery stores except Costco and Walmart.
• 5¢ per liter CT silver discount at participating Gas+, Gas+ and Husky stations, and 7¢ per liter CT silver “Super” gasoline.
• Access to the Gold Roadside Assistance Program as well as collision and damage insurance for rental vehicles.
• Purchase protection system: “Zero liability” purchase protection for any purchase made within the last 90 days.

Can I get this card?

This card is not available to everyone. To qualify, you must earn an individual annual income of $80,000 or more and meet certain credit criteria.

Gas Advantage Mastercard credit card

As the name suggests, the Canadian Tire Gas Advantage Mastercard offers gas benefits. Although it is not part of the Triangle Program, it offers substantial benefits.

It mainly rewards the monthly use of your card. Depending on your spending level, you can get instant rebates on your gas at Canadian Tire stations. Here they are:

• Less than $500 per month = 2¢ per liter
• 500 to $900 = 5¢ per liter
• 1000 to 1999 = 8¢ per liter
• 2000 = 10¢ per liter

Here again, interest rates on purchases are 19.99%, and 22.99% for cash advances and balance transfers. You can also benefit from installment payments for any amount from $200 to $499 spent at participating stores.

Can I get this card?

Are you 18 years old and have a social insurance number? You might be eligible. Certain credit criteria may apply.

The Mastercard Discount Advantage credit card

Similar to the Gas Advantage Card, the Canadian Tire Cash Advantage Mastercard offers cash back rewards on your account. How is it more advantageous than other credit cards offering cash back? There is no spending limit! So, if you spend a lot with your credit card, this one could prove highly profitable.

Also, the more you spend, the more you get rewarded. Here are more details on the discount percentages per purchase:

• First $1,500 of purchase: 0.25% discount
• 1500 to 3000%: 0.50% discount
• From $3,000 to $24,000: 1% discount
• 24,000 and over: 1.5% discount

Interest rates remain the same, and no annual fees are incurred. In addition, benefits, such as payment in 24 installments for purchases from $200 to $499 at participating stores, are also available on this card.

Can I get this card?

There is no minimum wage requirement to receive this card. However, like most Canadian Tire Credit Cards, you must be 18 years of age, have a social insurance number and meet a few credit criteria.

Alternative credit cards

There are several alternative credit cards to those offered by Canadian Tire. Here are some examples:

• The SimplyCash^® Preferred Card from American Express offers 4% cash back on gas and groceries and 2% cash back everywhere else
• The SimplyCash^® Card from American Express offers 2% cash back on gas and groceries and 1.25% cash back everywhere else with no annual fee
• The Tangerine Money-Back Credit Card offers up to 2% cash back and has no annual fee
• The MBNA Smart Cash Platinum Plus^® Mastercard^® offers up to 2% cash back and has no annual fee

Consult other credit cards with no annual fee or with cash back.

Choose the best Canadian Tire credit card

As you will have understood: Canadian Tire credit cards have more than one advantage. Which is the most beneficial for you? Simply identify your consumption habits to make an informed choice!

Which credit card should you choose in Canada?

The right credit card choice depends on your profile – income, expenses, objective (travel, cash back, balance transfer). To compare options according to your criteria, use our credit card comparator. You can also consult our ranking of the best credit cards of the month, updated monthly by the Milesopedia team.

What is the best Canadian Tire credit card?

For most consumers, the Triangle Mastercard is the best choice: no annual fees, up to 4% in CT Money at participating retailers, and 1.5% on the first $12,000 in groceries. If you earn $80,000 or more, the World Elite Triangle enhances groceries to 3% and gas discounts.