There’s a new option in the Canadian rent payments space. Casa, a fintech platform, has partnered with Scotiabank to launch a co-branded credit card that waives transaction fees on housing payments made through its platform.
If you’re a renter looking to earn rewards on your largest monthly expense, it’s another option worth knowing about.
What Is Casa?
Casa is a fintech platform that lets renters and condo owners pay their housing costs using a credit card. According to its website, no landlord participation is required. You simply enter your address, add a Canadian Visa or Mastercard, and set up your payment.
It covers rent and condo fee payments. American Express is not supported, and the platform is not yet available in Quebec.
Payments are processed within two to five business days and sent directly to your housing provider. Casa says it partners with “Canada’s largest housing networks,” though specific property management companies haven’t been named publicly.
The ScotiaGold Passport® Visa Card
At the centre of this launch is the ScotiaGold Passport® Visa Card, a new co-branded credit card available exclusively through Casa’s partnership with Scotiabank.
Here are the key details:
- Annual fee: $110, waived the first year
- Supplementary cards: $30 per year each, also waived the first year
- Welcome bonus: 10,000 Scene+ points after spending $2,000 in the first three months
- Earning rate: 1 Scene+ point per dollar on all purchases
- Casa earning: 1 Scene+ point per dollar on rent and condo fees (requires $350 per month in other purchases)
- Purchase interest rate: 19.99%
You also get a decent travel insurance package: up to $1 million in emergency medical coverage (25 days, for cardholders under 65), rental car collision and loss damage coverage for up to 48 days, $250,000 in travel accident insurance, and purchase protection with extended warranty.
Other perks include 25% off Avis and Budget car rentals, and Shell fuel rewards rolling out nationally on May 26, 2026.
Anyone who’s previously held a ScotiaGold Passport® Visa within two years of October 29, 2025 won’t qualify for the welcome bonus. Scotiabank employees and anyone switching from another Scotiabank personal credit card within that window are also excluded.
Running the Numbers
Paying rent through Casa with the ScotiaGold Passport® Visa carries zero transaction fees. No other card on the platform gets that treatment. With any other Visa or Mastercard credit card, you’ll pay 1.75%.
Let’s say you’re paying $2,500 per month in rent and putting $350 per month in other spending on the card to meet the minimum threshold for earning Scene+ points on housing payments. Your first year breaks down like this:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 (waived first year) |
| Transaction fees on rent | $0 |
| Welcome bonus | 10,000 Scene+ points |
| Rent earning ($2,500 × 12 months) | 30,000 Scene+ points |
| Other spending ($350 × 12 months) | 4,200 Scene+ points |
| Total first-year Scene+ points | 44,200 points |
| Estimated value (~1 cent per point) | ~$442 |
That’s $442 in rewards for zero out-of-pocket cost in the first year. From year two onward, with the $110 annual fee kicking in but no welcome bonus, you’re still looking at 34,200 Scene+ points (~$342) against a $110 fee.
Keep in mind that the $350 per month minimum in other purchases is required to earn Scene+ points on housing payments. If you tend to funnel most of your spending through an Amex or Aeroplan card and only use this one for rent, you may not hit that threshold.
There’s also a 1% fee option for debit card payments, but it’s hard to see the value here. Most debit cards earn nothing, and even Scotiabank’s debit card only earns 1 Scene+ point per $5 spent. At that rate, you’re better off just e-Transferring your landlord directly for free.
Casa vs. Chexy
If you’re familiar with Chexy, here’s how Casa compares:
- Transaction fees: Casa charges 0% with the ScotiaGold Passport® Visa and 1.75% with other credit cards. Chexy charges 1.75% across the board.
- Amex support: Chexy supports American Express. Casa does not.
- Loyalty program: Casa earns Scene+ points. Chexy partners with Aeroplan.
- Quebec: Chexy is available in Quebec. Casa is not.
- Credit building: Chexy reports to Equifax, which can help build your credit history. Casa doesn’t mention this feature.
- Landlord setup: Neither platform requires landlord participation.
Where it gets interesting is the fee. With Chexy, every credit card transaction costs 1.75%, which means you need a card with earning rates high enough to offset that cost. With Casa and the ScotiaGold Passport® Visa, there’s no fee to offset at all.
On the other hand, Chexy’s Amex support is a big deal for anyone deep in the Aeroplan or MR points ecosystem. Casa is firmly a Scotiabank and Scene+ play.
For a broader look at earning rewards on rent, we’ve covered the full landscape of bill payment platforms in detail.
One more thing worth noting: Casa’s terms of use explicitly prohibit “manufactured spend” and “credit card churning.” How strictly that gets enforced remains to be seen, but it’s there in the fine print.
Conclusion
More competition in the rent payments space is a good thing for consumers, and Casa brings a distinct angle that didn’t exist before.
Chexy runs various Aeroplan promotions and accepts Visa, Mastercard, and American Express, which makes it a strong option for frequent travellers looking to maximize their travel rewards. Casa only accepts Visa and Mastercard, but could be a better fit for those who simply want to earn extra points back that can be spent toward everyday expenses like groceries.
Both platforms serve different needs, and it’s good to have the choice.
This story originally appeared on princeoftravel
