Kids’ birthday parties are a great occasion for your children to make new friends and spend some quality time with old friends, but as they make more friends there also becomes the problem of them getting invited to more birthday parties – which, not to sound to cynical – can really start to add up in your bank account. Luckily Walmart Canada routinely offers great deals on fabulous toys and games in their clearance section, which can certainly lighten the load on you when you’re buying presents for your kids’ friends.

For instance, this Star Wars Episode VII Black Series Multi Pack Vehicle is currently on sale for just $10, though it is normally sold for nearly 70% more than that at $29.97.

Or if you’re shopping for someone who is a fan of My Little Pony, you may want to check out this My Little Pony Squishy Pops Ferris Wheel Display Set, which is on sale for half its regular price at just $10 (reg. $19.98).

But perhaps the creme de la creme of the deals going on at Walmart Canada right now is on this Barbie Dreamhouse playset. The set includes a number of fun accessories and features that bring the dollhouse to life, such as a pool, a garage and interactive lights. Usually, the playset would be sold for $189.97, but right now you can pick it up for just $159.97.

Walmart Canada offers FREE shipping on all orders that are $25 or more.

Click here to begin shopping at Walmart Canada.

Hudson’s Bay Canada has a sale going on right now that is perfect for getting your little ones into the new season. The Hudson’s Bay has a sale where you can save up to 30% off on select kids’ and babies clothing. There are a number of beautiful dresses for little girls being sold for as little as $31.50, as well as a number of ‘handsome man’ outfits that a little boy can wear, being sold for as little as $37.80.

For instance, if you’re looking for a nice outfit for your little boy to wear for a school recital, a family holiday, or any other special occasion that requires formal wear, you may want to check out something like this four-piece heathered formalwear set by Nautica, which is currently on sale for just $37.80 (reg. $54).

Alternatively, if you’re looking for something fancy for your little girl to wear to that special function, then you may want to check out this Iris & Ivy Striped Cut-Out Dotted Crepe Dress, which is on sale for just $31.50 (reg. $45).

The Hudson’s Bay offers FREE shipping on orders that are $45+ (or $29+ on beauty purchases) when you pay with your Hudson’s Bay credit card, or $99+ (or $49+ on beauty purchases) when you pay with any other form of tender.

Click here to begin shopping at Hudson’s Bay Canada.

Anyone who has lived in Toronto before can attest to the crazy real estate market and how rent is becoming increasingly harder and harder to pay, particularly for people who don’t make a Bay St. salary. News came down this morning from Queen’s Park that NDP Peter Tabuns, MPP for Toronto-Danforth, is proposing a private member’s bill that aims to make housing more affordable in the province.

In his bill, Tabuns is putting forward that all rental units be permitted to fall under rent control.

“People deserve protection against unreasonable rent increases,” Tabuns told the CBC on Thursday morning.

As it stands right now, landlords who have rental units that were built after 1991 are exempt from rent control. This stipulation is from the 1997 Residential Tenancies Act, which was intended to inspire developers to build new rental units.

“The exemption that exists now for buildings built after 1991 needs to go,” said Tabuns in the interview with CBC. “It isn’t helping people anymore. In fact, it’s putting people in a very difficult position.”

In Toronto, the city’s rental vacancy rate is 1.3 percent and an ever growing number of people are finding the prices of their rentals completely unaffordable.

Tabuns will be tabling the bill on Monday, with more details of the plan coming in the days ahead.

Have you ever had one of the U.K.’s greatest chocolatey creations, the milk chocolate covered malt balls, aptly named, Maltesers? Well, if you haven’t then you may want to check out these Mars chocolate balls of delight in the next coming months, especially if you’re living in Newmarket, Ontario, as they’re now officially home of the Malteser – well, on North American grounds at least.

Maltesers are a British confectionary that only began being imported to the U.S. this year. But you may be familiar with the sugary treat if you live in the U.S., as they share a very similar composition to the American brand Whoppers.

This recent opening of the first and only factory for Maltesers in North America marks a special occasion for the town of Newmarket. With the opening of the facility, they have added 30 highly skilled jobs to Newmarket’s employment numbers, in addition to the 50 tradespeople it took to build the factory. The factory also said that as production ramps up to become a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week operation that they will add more jobs to handle the some seven and a half million Maltesers that will be rolling off the conveyor belt each day.

About 80 percent of the production from this factory will be exported to the U.S., which is a country quickly catching on to the love of these wafery circles of delight.

By now, almost everyone has heard about the mysterious and concerning CCD – Colony Collapse Disorder – happening around the world and hurting one of nature’s most cherished workers: the honey bee. Cheerios Canada has decided to not be a complacent bystander in solving this pressing issue, and so has launched the #BringBackTheBees campaign.

In this campaign, Cheerios is giving people who fill out this form a free sample of 500 wildflower seeds that you can plant to help stimulate the honey bee population. Bees rely on wildflower pollen for sustenance, and by planting more seeds around the world, Cheerios is hoping to curb some of the bee’s disappearance by creating a more bee friendly environment.

They have already met their goal of sending 100 million seeds to Canadians, but they are continuing to send out more of these wildflower seeds to people who request it.

Click here to learn more about the #BringBackTheBees campaign.

Lowe’s Canada is currently running a ‘save the tax’ event where, as the name implies, you’ll be able to cut the tax away from your total price. This kind of offer only comes around every once and a while, and it is by far the most beneficial when you’re buying larger ticket items, like fridges, dishwashers and the like. To receive the discount online, you will first have to add the items you wish to buy and then enter the promo code, SALE, at checkout.

If you’re shopping in the major appliances section, the save the tax event will be lasting for seven days (ending on Wednesday, March 22nd), as opposed to the rest of the site where the offer will only be valid for four days (ending on Sunday, March 19th).

In addition to the save the tax event, there is also a sale on bathroom items where you can save up to $160 off on select items.

For instance, this Pfister Selia Standard Height Toilet is currently being sold for just $299, though before it was being sold for $459.

Lowe’s Canada offers FREE shipping on all orders that are $49 or more.

Click here to begin shopping at Lowe’s Canada.

Head over to Hudson’s Bay Canada to get all of your getaway essentials. Whether you’re looking for a new rollaway luggage piece that converts into a backpack or you’re looking for an inexpensive cross-body bag, the Hudson’s Bay clearance sale on luggage essentials has got you more than covered.

If you’re looking for something simple and fashionable to take with you through security, then this Jack & Jones Minimalist Design Backpack, measuring 16″ W and 20″ H, is being sold right now for just $35 (was $70).

Alternatively, if you’re in need of a little more space for your travels and need something a bit more expansive than a carry-on backpack, you may be interested in this SKYWAY Ocean Shores 29-Inch Expandable Spinner. This massive piece of luggage is usually sold for $370, but right now is being sold for just $129.50 – more than half off the regular price!

Hudson’s Bay Canada offers FREE shipping on all orders that are $45+ (or $29+ on beauty purchases) when you pay with your Hudson’s Bay credit card, or $99+ (or $49+ on beauty purchases) when you pay with any other form of tender.

Click here to begin shopping at Hudson’s Bay Canada.

Puma Canada is getting in the giving mood this spring by offering customer’s an extra saving promo code to be used on already reduced merchandise. The promo code, SPRING20, can be applied to sale clothing where you can use it on everything to save an extra 20% off.

If you shop around the sale section, you’ll see that most of the items have already been discounted between 40-50% off so when you apply the extra 20% off promo code you’ll really be getting a good deal. For instance, these Vikky LS Softfoam Women’s Sneakers were originally being sold for $55USD (remember, even when you switch your country code on Puma, they continue to list the prices in USD) but are now being sold for $34.99. When you apply the 20% off promo code, the shoes are further reduced to being just $27.99USD.

Puma is also offering FREE shipping on all orders right now.

Click here to begin shopping at Puma Canada.

Sears Canada is kicking off spring by clearing out their winter stock. Right now at Sears, you can pick up select outerwear for 40% off the regular price, with some coats selling for as little as $26!

Some of the better deals that I was able to find were actually on sale for more than the advertised 40% discount. For instance, this women’s Louise Coat is on sale for just $26.94, but before it was being sold for $89 – that’s almost a 70% discount. And this Nylon Quilted Jacket is on sale for $46.49 though before it was being sold for $149.99, which is a savings of $103.50.

Sears offers FREE shipping on all orders that are $99 or more.

Click here to begin shopping at Sears Canada.

The Body Shop Canada has an absolutely amazing offer going on right now. First of all, they are offering FREE shipping on all orders for Ontario residents! Secondly, when you buy three items from the qualifying list of items being sold, which can be found here, you can pick up any three items from the same section for free! Of course, the most expensive items in your cart will be the ones calculated for your total and the least expensive ones will be the items discounted, but if all of your items are around the same price, you can really stand to save big in this offer.

For instance, I picked up a Down to Earth Makeup Palette ($34), a four-piece Down to Earth Makeup Palette ($24), and a buffing brush ($21), and was able to pick up 2 Body Butters ($21 each), as you’ll also receive a complimentary Body Butter when you spend more than $65, an Aloe Soothing Day Cream ($20) and an Eye Colour Stick ($16).

In addition to all these freebies, The Body Shop is also offering FREE shipping on all orders for Ontario residents only, otherwise free shipping is on orders of $50 or more right now.

Click here to begin shopping at The Body Shop Canada.

As originally reported by the Wall Street Journal, the Hudson’s Bay Co is rumoured to be in talks with the U.S. retail chain Neiman Marcus to buy out the struggling company.

Neiman Marcus released a statement that neither confirmed or denied who they were in talks with, but instead said that they were hiring financial advisers to “explore and evaluate potential strategic alternatives”.

The Hudson’s Bay Co also says that it is part of their company policy to not comment on rumours and speculation, so they too have neither confirmed whether or not these ‘talks’ are more than just speculation.

Neiman Marcus has been carrying a long-term U.S. debt of $4.4 billion and in their last quarter they reported sales that were lower by 6.1 per cent when compared to the same period last year.

The Hudson’s Bay already owns a number of American retailers, some of the most well-known including banners like Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Gilt, and SAKS OFF 5TH.

Want to make lemonade from lemons, or in this instance from EB Games Canada, make money from old video games? EB Games Canada has just announced that they will be giving customers a trade-in value of at least $10 credit for old PS4 and Xbox One games.

Depending on your games quality, playability, popularity and how many games have been traded-in, but you are guaranteed a minimum of $10 credit for your old game, which is more than what you’d get for just letting is sit in your basement gathering dust.

You will also have to bring in the original box and documentation to trade-in your old game. This offer is also an ongoing one, so you don’t have to rush in today to claim your trade-in credit.

You can click here to learn more about the EB Games trade-in offer, or here to find the nearest EB Games to you.

Click here to begin shopping at EB Games Canada.

It’s hard to get through a Canadian winter without the hopes of looking forward to some form of escape, especially when we’re being pounded with snowstorms in the middle of March. Whether you’re looking to make a big trip across the pond to some foreign European city, or across the country to visit family in Vancouver, this sale from FlightHub Canada is going to help you plan, and save, on some last minute getaways.

Booking for some dates at the end of March, I was able to find a roundtrip ticket to London, flying out of Toronto Pearson Airport, for just $690.87CAD. Tickets roundtrip to London’s Heathrow Airport, or really any central European hub from Toronto, is usually around $750-$900, but with this deal you can buy a roundtrip ticket for just $690!

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a warmer getaway to sweep away those end of winter blues, you could fly from Toronto to Miami at the end of the month for just $304.38! This is really a great deal, as I know I usually spend about that flying from New York to Toronto and vice versa, and the distance to Miami is much further from Toronto than NYC.

This sale is only on for a limited time, and every time I check more and more seats are being sold out, so if you find a good deal, I suggest you pull the trigger fast before it disappears!

Click here to begin shopping at FlightHub Canada online.

This will probably be the easiest and quickest $300 you’ve ever made. Right now, TD Canada Trust has an offer for new and some returning customers (if you haven’t had a chequing account with TD since November 2015) where you can receive a FREE bonus $300 when you open up a chequing account with unlimited transactions.

There are a few steps that you must first follow before claiming your $300, but considering the minimal amount of effort on your end, I’d still say it’s worth it; it’s $300 for doing essentially nothing!

1. First, you must contact your TD branch and ask for the promo.
2. Within 30 days of receiving your email, go to a local TD, meet with an advisor, and open up either an All-Inclusive Banking Plan or and Unlimited Chequing Account
3. After your account is opened, you’ll have 45 days to complete two of the following transactions to have the $300 bonus deposited in your account:
   • make a Direct Deposit to your account
   • have a minimum of a $50 pre-authorized debit
   • make a payment of at least $50 on either a Canadian or US bill using EasyWeb

It will take some time for the money to be deposited into your account with a maximum wait time of about 12 weeks. But after that, you’ll have $300 in your bank account with quite literally very little effort on your part!

This offer is only available for a limited time.

Hudson’s Bay Canada has some really great freebie offers going on right now where you really don’t have to spend very much to get a lot back in giveaways. When you spend $34 or more on Clinique products (no restrictions on what kind of products either!), you qualify for a free 7-piece Clinique gift valued to be worth $95!

You’ll have the choice between grabbing either a nude or spring themed 7-piece gift when you spend $34+. Included in this specific 7-piece gift is as follows:

• Cosmetics Bag
• Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief
• Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser
• Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+
• Eye, Cheek & Lip Colour : All About Shadow Duo, Blushing Blush and Long Last Lipstick Spring Nudes colour collections
• Chubby Lash Fattening Mascara in Jumbo Jet

And, if you spend a little bit more, you stand to get a little bit more from Clinique. Right now, when you spend $75 or more, you will qualify for the 7-piece gift in addition to another freebie – making your total grab bag valued at $135. You’ll get the choice between grabbing either the Power Up Skin Step-Up or the Flawless In A Flash Step-Up.

These offers will only be available for a limited time.

Hudson’s Bay offers FREE shipping on orders that are $45+ (or $29+ on beauty purchases) when you pay with your Hudson’s Bay credit card or $99+ (or $49+ on beauty purchases) when you pay with any other form of tender.

Click here to begin shopping Clinique at the Hudson’s Bay.