Discount Cards & Programs
How senior discount programs, membership cards and savings days actually work, and how to make sure you never miss one at the till.
Most senior discounts in Canada are not automatic. Some need a free membership (like a pharmacy advantage program), some run only on a set day of the week, and some are simply a standing lower price for anyone over a certain age.
Three kinds of programs
- Membership programs: sign up once, show the card or app at checkout.
- Discount days: the saving runs one day a week or month, like a Thursday seniors day at the pharmacy.
- Standing senior prices: lower fares and admission prices that apply every day, no card needed.
At the till
Always ask. Staff do not always mention a discount, and the cashier cannot always apply one after the fact. Carry photo ID with your birth date: it is the one thing every program accepts.
Every program we know about is in the discount directory, with the age it starts and the days it runs.