One of the hazards of posting the deals and promotions update on April 1st is that readers might feel like they’re going to get pranked – especially this year with so many offers expiring at the outset of the month.
Alas, while it is true that at the start of this month there are significantly fewer offers available than there were last month, there are more than few reasons to be optimistic about promotions for online investors.
One of the primary reasons to expect the promotional offers board will continue to fill up is that those firms left on the board are getting much more attention and exposure by virtue of being present. Bank-owned brokerages such as BMO InvestorLine and CIBC Investor’s Edge are still in the mix with cash back bonuses which means they’re going to be serious contenders for DIY investors looking for this kind of offer with a big-name bank.
As detailed in the most recent Weekly Roundup, there is also another reason banking on change is a good bet. The landscape for promotional offers is likely to get even more interesting in 2019 thanks to the official launch of Wealthsimple Trade. Their commission-free trading structure means that we expect existing Canadian brokerages to respond in kind with rather creative, headline generating offers.
For now, however, we’re content to ease into the first full month of spring with a solid selection of deals and the prospect that the weeks ahead are bound to be filled with more than few surprises.
Expired Deals
Unlike a typical month, the passing of the RRSP contribution deadline at the beginning of March means that there is a high degree of turnover in the promotions section. There were offers from 6 different online brokerages that expired across March with most of them expiring at the end of the month. Here is a list of those offers that didn’t make it into April:
- RBC Direct Investing commission-free trade offer
- Qtrade Investor Cash Back offer
- Scotia iTRADE commission-free trade + cash back offer
- Virtual Brokers RSP cash back offer
- BMO InvestorLine Winter Campaign
- TD Direct Investing Winter Promotion
Extended Deals
Like any avid chart watcher, it’s great to see the chart tick in your favour. In this case, there was an uptick in extended deals from CIBC Investor’s Edge, whose cash back offer is now pushed out to early May and Questrade’s massively disruptive transfer fee bonus offer – which has been extended through to the end of June.
New Deals
No new deals to report (yet).
Discount Brokerage Deals
- Cash Back/Free Trade/Product Offer Promotions
- Referral Promotions
- Transfer Fee Promotions
- Contests & Other Offers
- Digital Advice + Roboadvisor Promotions
Cash Back/Free Trade/Product Offer Promotions
| Company | Brief Description | Minimum Deposit Amount | Commission/Cash Offer/Promotion Type | Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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A Sparx Trading exclusive offer! Use the promo code “Sparx Trading” when signing up for a new account with Jitneytrade and receive access to their preferred pricing package. | n/a | Discounted Commission Rates | none | For more details click here | none |
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Open and fund a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) with at least $1,000 and you may be eligible to receive $88 in commission credits (up to 17 commission-free trades). Use promo code SPARX88 when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions carefully. | $1,000 | $88 commission credit | 60 days | Access this offer by clicking here: $88 commission-credit offer . For full terms and conditions, click here. | none |
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Open and fund a new account (TFSA, Margin or RRSP) with at least $1,000 and you may be eligible to receive 5 commission-free trades. Use promo code 5FREETRADES when signing up. Be sure to read terms and conditions carefully. | $1,000 | 5 commission-free trades | 60 days | 5 commission-free trade offer | December 31, 2019 |
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Open and fund a new account with at least $5,000 at National Bank Direct Brokerage and you may be eligible to receive up to 50 commission free equity trades, which are good for up to one year. Use promo code: FREE50 when applying. Be sure to read offer terms and conditions for full details. | $5,000 | 50 commission-free trades | 12 months | National Bank Direct Brokerage 50 Free Trade Offer | April 30, 2019 |
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Desjardins Online Brokerage is offering new clients 1% of assets transferred into the new account in the form of commission credits (to a maximum value of $1,000). Minimum qualifying deposit is $10,000. To qualify, individuals will have to call 1-866-873-7103 and mention promo code DisnatTransfer or email: [email protected]. See details link for more info. | $10,000 | 1% of assets transferred in the form of commission-credits (max credits: $1,000) | 6 months | Disnat 1% Commission Credit Promo | none |
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Open and fund a new account with at least A) $25,000; B) $100,000; C) $250,000; D) $500,000 or E) $1M+ AND place at least three commission-generating trades and you may be eligible to receive a cash back promotion amount of at least A) $188; B) $388; C) $688; D) $988 or E) $1288. Be sure to read offer terms & conditions for full details. | A) $25,000 B) $100,000 C) $250,000 D) $500,000 E) $1M+ | A) $188 B) $388 C) $688 D) $988 E) $1288 | Cash back will be deposited by November 29, 2019 | HSBC InvestDirect 2019 Winter Offer | April 30, 2019 |
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Open and fund a new qualifying account with CIBC Investor’s Edge with a deposit of at least A) $25,000; B) $50,000 or C) $100,00+ and you may be eligible to receive a cash back bonus of A) $100; B) $200 or C) $400. This offer is open to both new and existing clients. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for complete details. | A) $25,000 B) $50,000 C) $100,000 | A) $100 B) $200 C) $400 | Cash back will be deposited on the week of September 2nd. | CIBC Investor’s Edge Cash Back Promo | May 2, 2019 |
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Open and fund a new qualifying account with at least $25,000 and you may qualify for one month of unlimited commission-free trades and up to one month free of an advanced data package. Use promo code ADVANTAGE14 when opening a new account. Be sure to read terms and conditions for full details. | $25,000 | commission-free trades for 1 month + 1 month of advanced data. | 1 month | Active Trader Program | December 31, 2019 |
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Open a new qualifying account or fund an existing qualifying account at BMO InvestorLine with new assets worth at least A) $50,000; B) $100,000; C) $500,000 or D) $1M+ and you may be eligible to a cash back reward of up to A) $100; B) $300; C) $900 or D) $1600. Use promo code SPARXCASH when registering to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions. | A) $50,000 B) $100,000 C) $500,000 D) $1M+ | A) $100 B) $300 C) $900 D) $1,600 | Cash back will be deposited the week of December 16, 2019. | BMO InvestorLine Spring 2019 Campaign | June 3, 2019 |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: Apr. 1, 2019 17:00 PT |
Referral Promotions
| Company | Brief Description | Minimum Deposit Amount | Incentive Structure | Time Limit to Use Commission/Cash Offer Deposit | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Refer a friend to Questrade and when they open an account you receive $25 cash back and they receive either A) $25; B) $50; C) $75; D) $100; or E) $250 depending on the amount deposited amount. Enter code: 476104302388759 during account sign up to qualify. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for eligibility and additional bonus payment structure and minimum balance requirements. | A) $1,000 B) $10,000 C) $25,000 D) $50,000 E) $100,000+ | $25 cash back (for referrer per referral; $50 bonus cash back for every 3rd referral) For referred individuals: A) $25 cash back B) $50 cash back C) $75 cash back D) $100 cash back E) $250 cash back | Cash deposited into Questrade billing account within 7 days after funding period ends (90 days) | Refer a friend terms and conditions Code Number: 476104302388759 | none |
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If you (an existing Qtrade Investor client) refer a new client to Qtrade Investor and they open an account with at least $1,000 the referrer and the referee may both be eligible to receive $25 cash. See terms and conditions for full details. | $1,000 | $25 cash back (for both referrer and referee) | Cash deposited at the end of the month in which referee’s account funded | Refer A Friend to Qtrade Investor | none |
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If you refer a friend/family member who is not already a Scotia iTRADE account holder to them, both you and your friend get a bonus of either cash or free trades. You have to use the referral form to pass along your info as well as your friend/family members’ contact info in order to qualify. There are lots of details/conditions to this deal so be sure to read the details link. | A) $10,000 B) $50,000+ | A) You(referrer): $50 or 10 free trades; Your “Friend”: $50 or 10 free trades (max total value:$99.90) B) You(referrer): $100 cash or 50 free trades; Your “Friend”: $100 cash or 50 free trades (max total value: $499.50) | 60 days | Refer A Friend to Scotia iTrade | tbd |
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If you (an existing BMO InvestorLine client) refer a new client to BMO InvestorLine and they open an account with at least $5,000 the referrer and the referee may both be eligible to receive $50 cash. To qualify the referee must use the email of the referrer that is linked to their BMO InvestorLine account. See terms and conditions for full details. | $5,000 | You(referrer): $50; Your Friend(referee): $50 | Payout occurs 45 days after minimum 90 day holding period (subject to conditions). | BMO InvestorLine Refer-a-Friend | January 2, 2020 |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: Apr. 1, 2019 17:00 PT |
Transfer Fee Promotions
| Company | Brief Description | Maximum Transfer Fee Coverage Amount | Minimum Deposit Amount for Transfer Fee Eligibility | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Move your brokerage account to Questrade and they’ll cover the transfer-out fee up to $150. | $150 | no minimum required | Transfer Fee Promo | June 30, 2019 |
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Transfer $15,000 or more into a new HSBC InvestDirect account and you may be eligible to have up to $152.55 in transfer fees covered. | $152.55 | $15,000 | Confirmed via email contact with HSBC InvestDirect Rep. Contact client service for more information. | none |
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Transfer $15,000 or more to Qtrade Investor from another brokerage and Qtrade Investor may cover up to $150 in transfer fees. See terms and conditions for more details. | $150 | $15,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate | none |
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Transfer $15,000 or more to RBC Direct Investing and they will pay up to $135 in transfer fees. | $135 | $15,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate Details | none |
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Transfer $20,000 or more to a National Bank Direct Brokerage account and they will pay up to $135 plus taxes in transfer fees. | $135 | $20,000 | Transfer Fee Rebate | none |
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Transfer at least $25,000 or more in new assets to TD Direct Investing when opening a new account and you may qualify to have transfer fees reimbursed up to $150. Be sure to contact TD Direct Investing for further details. | $150 | $25,000 | Contact client service for more information (1-800-465-5463). | none |
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Transfer $25,000 or more into a CIBC Investor’s Edge account and they will reimburse up to $135 in brokerage transfer fees. Clients must call customer service to request rebate after transfer made. | $135 | $25,000 | Confirmed with reps. Contact client service for more information (1-800-567-3343). | none |
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Desjardins Online Brokerage is offering up to $150 to cover the cost of transfer fees from another institution. To be eligible, new/existing clients need to deposit $50,000 into a Desjardins Online Brokerage account. You’ll have to call 1-866-873-7103 and mention promo code DisnatTransfer. See details link for more info. | $150 | $50,000 | Disnat 1% Commission Credit Promo | none |
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Open a new qualifying account with BMO InvestorLine or fund a qualifying existing account, by transferring in at least $200,000+ in net new assets and you may be eligible to have transfer fees covered up to $200. Use promo code SPARXCASH when signing up. Be sure to read the terms and conditions for more details on the offer. | $200 | $200,000 | BMO InvestorLine Summer 2018 Campaign | September 3, 2018 |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: Apr. 1, 2019 17:00 PT |
Other Promotions
| Company | Brief Description | Minimum Deposit Amount Required | Details Link | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Desjardins Online Brokerage, in conjunction with MoneyTalks, is offering 3 months of the “Inside Edge” investor information service to Desjardins Online Brokerage clients. Use promo code DESJ2016 during checkout to qualify. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for more information. | n/a | MoneyTalks Inside Edge Discount | none |
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Desjardins Online Brokerage is offering $50 in commission credits for new Disnat Classic clients depositing at least $1,000. See terms and conditions for full details. | $1,000 | Broker@ge 18-30 Promotion | none |
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Scotiabank StartRight customers can receive 10 commission-free trades when investing $1,000 or more in a new Scotia iTrade account. Trades are good for use for up to 1 year from the date the account is funded. Use promo code SRPE15 when applying (in English) or SRPF15 when applying in French. Be sure to read full terms and conditions for full details. | $1,000 | StartRight Free Trade offer | none |
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Open and fund a new qualifying account with at least $5,000 at RBC Direct Investing and you may be eligible to receive up to 20 commission-free trades, which are good for up to one year. Use promo code MDFT8 to qualify. This promotion is being marketed towards healthcare workers, so be sure to review terms and conditions or speak to an RBC Direct Investing representative for full details. | $5,000 | RBC Direct Investing 20 Free Trade Offer | Mar. 4, 2019 |
Expired Offers |
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| Last Updated: Apr.1, 2019 17:00PT |
Digital Advice + Roboadvisor Promotions
| Robo-advisor / Digital advisor | Offer Type | Offer Description | Min. Deposit | Reward / Promotion | Promo Code | Expiry Date | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Discounted Management | Open and fund a new Questrade Portfolio IQ account with a deposit of at least $1,000 and the first month of management will be free. For more information on Portfolio IQ, click the product link. | $1,000 | 1st month no management fees | KDKFNBBC | None | Questrade Portfolio IQ Promo Offer |
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Cash Back | Open and fund a new or existing SmartFolio account with at least $1,000 and you could receive 0.5% cash back up to $1000. Use promo code PROMO1000 when opening a new account. See terms and conditions for full details. This offer can be combined with the refer-a-friend promotion. | $1,000 | 0.5% cash back to a maximum of $1000. | PROMO1000 | January 2, 2020 | SmartFolio Cash Back Promo |
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Discounted Management | Open a new account with BMO SmartFolio and receive one year of management of up to $15,000 free. See offer terms and conditions for more details. | $1,000 | 1 year no management fees | STSF | April 30, 2019 | SmartFolio New Account Promotion |
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Cash Back – Referral | BMO SmartFolio clients will receive $50 cash back for every friend or family member who opens and funds a new SmartFolio account. Friends and family referred to SmartFolio will receive $50 cash back for opening and funding an account, plus automatic enrollment into SmartFolio’s mass offer in market at the time. See offer terms and conditions for more details. | $1,000 | $50 cash back (referrer) $50 cash back (referee) | Unique link generated from SmartFolio required. | None | SmartFolio Website |
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Transfer Fee Coverage | Transfer at least $25,000 into Virtual Wealth when opening a new account and you may be eligible to have up to $150 in transfer fees covered by Virtual Wealth. | $25,000 | up to $150 in transfer fees covered | None | None | Contact customer service directly for more information. |
| Last Updated: Apr. 1, 2019 17:00 PT |