In This Issue:

🌸 Say “Konnichiwa” to Japan because the deals are crazy!

🏠 Nowhere to build in the 2nd largest country in the world?

🌍 Explore Japan on Points: Your Gateway to Affordable Adventures

Are your Aeroplan or Membership Rewards points piling up? Uncover the magic of Japan without breaking the bank. As flight prices to Asia soar, your reward points hold the key to thrilling, budget-friendly escapades.

Top Routes to Japan from Canada:

• 🌸 Vancouver to Tokyo (HND) with ANA: Score a direct flight to Haneda Airport. Opt for 35K in economy or 55K in business class for optimal value.

• 🌸 Vancouver to Osaka (KIX) with Air Canada: Non-stop to Kansai International Airport. Look for 35K in economy or 55K in business class for fantastic deals.

• 🌸 Toronto to Tokyo (HND) via ORD or IAD with ANA: Fly from Toronto to Tokyo with a brief stop in Chicago or Washington. Target 43K-53K in economy or 75K in business class for a smart choice.

• 🌸 Montreal to Tokyo (HND) via ORD, IAD, or YVR with ANA: Journey from Montreal to Tokyo with layovers in Chicago, Washington, or Vancouver. Aim for 43K-53K in economy or 75K in business class for a value-packed experience.

• 🌸 Toronto to Tokyo (HND) via JFK with ANA: Enjoy Toronto to Tokyo via JFK, and indulge in "The Room" experience – a premium at the cost of standard business class. Snag ANA business class for 75K and relish a roomy treat.

These exclusive flights are available from now until early September.

🚀 Pro-Tip: When booking business class with points, ensure you avoid "Mixed Cabin" to relish the full business class experience throughout your journey. This is an example of a flight you want to book:

And, this is an example of a flight you want to avoid:

Porter Airlines' New Status Match: 🛫Calling all Aeroplan members!

Porter Airlines presents an exclusive offer for you. If you hold Aeroplan Elite status or have flown segments this year, Porter's VIPorter program is ready to match your status. Enjoy Avid Traveller perks for 2023, with a chance to extend them until 2024 at reduced spend. From check-in perks to complimentary seat selections, the advantages are yours. Act swiftly – this offer vanishes on September 6th!

Aeroplan's Family Sharing: Embark on Collective Travel Dreams! 🌍 Discover Aeroplan's Family Sharing feature, a seamless way for families to pool their points. Up to 8 family members can merge their Aeroplan points while maintaining their individual accounts. Every earned point contributes to a shared balance, and those with redemption privileges can utilize these pooled points for rewards. And the cherry on top? If a primary credit cardholder is part of the crew, everyone enjoys preferred pricing. Ready to dive in and make the most of collective travel aspirations? For more details, click here.

🌍 Jet-Set as One with Aeroplan's Family Sharing!

Did you know Aeroplan cranks up the wanderlust with Family Sharing? 🚀 Pool your points with up to 8 family members, each keeping their own accounts. Watch your points skyrocket together for epic redemptions!

Pro Tip: If a primary credit cardholder is in the squad, you all score preferred pricing.

Ready to dive in? It's as simple as creating a pool, inviting your crew, and voilà – your travel dreams multiply! Check out the details here and get ready to soar!

Build 2.2M Rental Units They Say…But Where?

We’ve all heard this catchphrase many times: “Canada needs to build more housing to restore affordability”. We are continuously inundated with news stories about housing shortages across the country, resulting in increasing housing costs for rentals and home buyers, yet new building projects pushed through continue being lower than forecasted.

This brings me to a question…what gives? Is it the lack of space? Surely not in the 2nd largest country in the world. Last of skilled labor? High materials cost? Lack of private and/or public investment?

One of the key answers here is as boring as zoning!

As it currently stands, it’s prohibited to build most types of housing on 70% of residential land across the country. And although the housing demand continues to surge, the zoning in most cities forbids building anything other than detached houses on the vast majority of city land. See the graphic below that highlights the problem more visually.

Even when development or rezoning is technically allowed, other rules like setbacks, lot coverage requirements, FAR caps, and parking mandates can make buildings extremely difficult and costly to design or kill feasibility altogether.

A comical example of this was highlighted earlier this year about a multi-residential building in Kits Point in Vancouver that came to an end of its useful life, but instead of being replaced with a new apartment building of the same size, it’s being replaced with three single-detached houses…because of Zoning Downsizing 🤡.

So next time you see another headline about how the city you are in (and let’s be real, that's true anywhere in Canada) needs more housing budget, just think…will the extra money really solve the issue here?