Brett Surbey
Brett Surbey
Freelance writerBrett Surbey is a corporate paralegal with KMSC Law LLP and freelance writer who has written for Yahoo Finance Canada, Success Magazine, Publishers Weekly, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes Advisor and multiple academic journals. He and his family live in northern Alberta, Canada.
Brett Surbey is a corporate paralegal with KMSC Law LLP and freelance writer who has written for Yahoo Finance Canada, Success Magazine, Publishers Weekly, U.S. News & World Report, Forbes Advisor and multiple academic journals. He and his family live in northern Alberta, Canada.
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News • Jul 03
Ontario man left owing $147K after travel insurance claim was denied — the hidden policy clause Canadians need to know
Travel insurance is touted as a necessity, but what if it doesn’t cover you when you need it the most? Here’s what Canadians need to know about medical coverage overseas
News • Jul 03
Ontario man left owing $147K after travel insurance claim was denied — the hidden policy clause Canadians need to know
Travel insurance is touted as a necessity, but what if it doesn’t cover you when you need it the most? Here’s what Canadians need to know about medical coverage overseas
Managing Money • Jul 01
More Canadians are choosing smaller weddings to afford other competing financial goals, hitting young people the hardest
As inflation and a tough job market squeeze young Canadians, weddings are getting smaller — here's how to save for one without sacrificing your TFSA, RRSP or first home
Managing Money • Jul 01
More Canadians are choosing smaller weddings to afford other competing financial goals, hitting young people the hardest
As inflation and a tough job market squeeze young Canadians, weddings are getting smaller — here's how to save for one without sacrificing your TFSA, RRSP or first home
News • Jun 25
Canadians are more susceptible to digital fraud than any other nation — here’s why and how to protect yourself
New TransUnion data shows Canada's digital fraud rate surged 63% in a year — here's why Canadians are prime targets and how to recognize a romance scam before it's too late
News • Jun 25
Canadians are more susceptible to digital fraud than any other nation — here’s why and how to protect yourself
New TransUnion data shows Canada's digital fraud rate surged 63% in a year — here's why Canadians are prime targets and how to recognize a romance scam before it's too late
News • Jun 23
An Ontario dad lost $6,000 to a fake 'son' call — how Canadians can spot AI emergency scams before it's too late
Emergency scams powered by AI voice cloning are becoming harder to detect — and more expensive for Canadians who fall for them. Here's how to stay one step ahead
News • Jun 23
An Ontario dad lost $6,000 to a fake 'son' call — how Canadians can spot AI emergency scams before it's too late
Emergency scams powered by AI voice cloning are becoming harder to detect — and more expensive for Canadians who fall for them. Here's how to stay one step ahead
Managing Money • Jun 19
Your home equity isn't a guaranteed retirement — here's what Canadians should build instead
Canadians edging closer to retirement are some of the wealthiest ever, but they could be relying too much on their home as a retirement plan — here’s what to do instead
Managing Money • Jun 19
Your home equity isn't a guaranteed retirement — here's what Canadians should build instead
Canadians edging closer to retirement are some of the wealthiest ever, but they could be relying too much on their home as a retirement plan — here’s what to do instead
News • Jun 17
AI shopping agents may be steering Canadians toward higher prices — here's how to protect yourself and your wallet
A new study found most AI models recommend expensive sponsored products over better deals — and Canadian shoppers are paying the price without knowing it
News • Jun 17
AI shopping agents may be steering Canadians toward higher prices — here's how to protect yourself and your wallet
A new study found most AI models recommend expensive sponsored products over better deals — and Canadian shoppers are paying the price without knowing it
News • Jun 16
A contractor took Ontario woman’s $3,000 and vanished — how to spot a door-to-door scam before it costs you
Warmer weather means more foot traffic to your doorstep, and not everyone is looking to make money honestly. Here’s how you can protect yourself from door-to-door scams this summer
News • Jun 16
A contractor took Ontario woman’s $3,000 and vanished — how to spot a door-to-door scam before it costs you
Warmer weather means more foot traffic to your doorstep, and not everyone is looking to make money honestly. Here’s how you can protect yourself from door-to-door scams this summer
News • Jun 11
Jet fuel prices may be stabilizing — but Canadian summer travelers aren't out of the woods yet
Conflict in the Middle East has caused a flurry of panic over jet fuel shortages. With summer travel season approaching, airlines have assuaged these concerns but price volatility is still looming
News • Jun 11
Jet fuel prices may be stabilizing — but Canadian summer travelers aren't out of the woods yet
Conflict in the Middle East has caused a flurry of panic over jet fuel shortages. With summer travel season approaching, airlines have assuaged these concerns but price volatility is still looming
News • Jun 08
20 incidents, 4 suspects, $4.5M stolen: Inside the real estate fraud targeting vulnerable homeowners
A sophisticated scheme left homeowners across Quebec without their properties — and it's not an isolated case. Here's what real estate fraud looks like and how to stop it from happening to you
News • Jun 08
20 incidents, 4 suspects, $4.5M stolen: Inside the real estate fraud targeting vulnerable homeowners
A sophisticated scheme left homeowners across Quebec without their properties — and it's not an isolated case. Here's what real estate fraud looks like and how to stop it from happening to you
News • Jun 04
He paid $200 a month for 5 years — and still owes nearly the full amount on his $4,500 loan
An Ontario resident’s horror story with a predatory loan is highlighting the need for consumers to watch out for the fine print
News • Jun 04
He paid $200 a month for 5 years — and still owes nearly the full amount on his $4,500 loan
An Ontario resident’s horror story with a predatory loan is highlighting the need for consumers to watch out for the fine print
Insurance • Jun 03
Amazon damaged their lawn and offered $1,200. The bill was $3,900. Here's what Canadians can do
An Amazon delivery gone wrong brings to light how consumers can deal with property damage issues — and the road to compensation is not an easy one
Insurance • Jun 03
Amazon damaged their lawn and offered $1,200. The bill was $3,900. Here's what Canadians can do
An Amazon delivery gone wrong brings to light how consumers can deal with property damage issues — and the road to compensation is not an easy one
Mortgages • May 28
Is buying a cottage your best path into Canada's housing market in 2026? Young people seem to think so — here’s why
With the average Canadian home topping $695,000, younger buyers are turning to recreational properties as an entry point — but the full cost picture goes well beyond the purchase price
Mortgages • May 28
Is buying a cottage your best path into Canada's housing market in 2026? Young people seem to think so — here’s why
With the average Canadian home topping $695,000, younger buyers are turning to recreational properties as an entry point — but the full cost picture goes well beyond the purchase price
Investing • May 22
Finfluencers are filling a gap for Canadians, but 76% of their content could put your money at risk
A new study shows 76% of finfluencer videos are misleading or harmful — here's what Canadians need to know before taking financial advice from someone online
Investing • May 22
Finfluencers are filling a gap for Canadians, but 76% of their content could put your money at risk
A new study shows 76% of finfluencer videos are misleading or harmful — here's what Canadians need to know before taking financial advice from someone online
Managing Money • May 20
Insolvency filings hit a 15-year high — what every Canadian carrying debt needs to know right now
Consumer insolvency filings have reached a 15-year high as Canadians struggle with rising shelter costs, groceries up 30% and looming mortgage renewals
Managing Money • May 20
Insolvency filings hit a 15-year high — what every Canadian carrying debt needs to know right now
Consumer insolvency filings have reached a 15-year high as Canadians struggle with rising shelter costs, groceries up 30% and looming mortgage renewals
News • May 15
Nova Scotia tenants living with pests, rodents and no repairs — what Canadians can do under the law
Halifax renters living with cockroaches and rodents say landlords are ignoring their repair requests — here's what Canadian tenants can do under the Residential Tenancies Act
News • May 15
Nova Scotia tenants living with pests, rodents and no repairs — what Canadians can do under the law
Halifax renters living with cockroaches and rodents say landlords are ignoring their repair requests — here's what Canadian tenants can do under the Residential Tenancies Act
News • 7660 views
Fraudsters drained a couple's Scotiabank accounts — and the bank won't commit to paying them back
A harrowing case of fraud for an Ontario family reveals a hard truth: consumers are likely to be on the hook in complex fraud cases, not banks
News • 7660 views
Fraudsters drained a couple's Scotiabank accounts — and the bank won't commit to paying them back
A harrowing case of fraud for an Ontario family reveals a hard truth: consumers are likely to be on the hook in complex fraud cases, not banks
News • May 09
CRA wants $10 billion back in COVID benefits — what Canadians must know now
The CRA is hoping to collect more than $10 billion in COVID-19 payments this year and many Canadians are having to repay thousands in government benefits
News • May 09
CRA wants $10 billion back in COVID benefits — what Canadians must know now
The CRA is hoping to collect more than $10 billion in COVID-19 payments this year and many Canadians are having to repay thousands in government benefits
News • May 05
Statistics Canada confirms 4.5 million Canadians are living in poverty — here's how to protect yourself
New data from StatCan showcases that the cost of living is climbing higher and higher, with 11% of Canadians living below the poverty line
News • May 05
Statistics Canada confirms 4.5 million Canadians are living in poverty — here's how to protect yourself
New data from StatCan showcases that the cost of living is climbing higher and higher, with 11% of Canadians living below the poverty line
News • May 02
Toronto landlord gets $31k surprise water bill due to faulty meter transmission unit — what you should know
A Toronto landlord’s catch-up water bill reveals just how much consumers are at the mercy of service measurement devices, even if they’re ineffective
News • May 02
Toronto landlord gets $31k surprise water bill due to faulty meter transmission unit — what you should know
A Toronto landlord’s catch-up water bill reveals just how much consumers are at the mercy of service measurement devices, even if they’re ineffective
Managing Money • Apr 29
Cucumbers up 28%, coffee up 30%: why grocery prices keep climbing and how Canadians can cut their bills now
While beef and coffee have been making headlines, vegetables are starting to show signs of major inflation as well
Managing Money • Apr 29
Cucumbers up 28%, coffee up 30%: why grocery prices keep climbing and how Canadians can cut their bills now
While beef and coffee have been making headlines, vegetables are starting to show signs of major inflation as well
News • Apr 25
Surveillance pricing targets Canadians online — here's how to stop paying more than you should
There’s more that goes into the price you pay for a product than you think
News • Apr 25
Surveillance pricing targets Canadians online — here's how to stop paying more than you should
There’s more that goes into the price you pay for a product than you think
News • Apr 24
Booking.com data breach puts Canadian travellers at risk — how to spot the scam
A confirmed data breach at Booking.com is fuelling a new wave of reservation hijacking scams — here's how to spot the red flags and what to do if your information was compromised
News • Apr 24
Booking.com data breach puts Canadian travellers at risk — how to spot the scam
A confirmed data breach at Booking.com is fuelling a new wave of reservation hijacking scams — here's how to spot the red flags and what to do if your information was compromised
News • 2740 views
A B.C. court ruled $5.1 million wasn't a gift — what this means for Canadians giving money to loved ones
A B.C. Supreme Court ruling exposes what can go wrong when Canadians transfer large sums to people close to them — and how to document your intentions before it's too late
News • 2740 views
A B.C. court ruled $5.1 million wasn't a gift — what this means for Canadians giving money to loved ones
A B.C. Supreme Court ruling exposes what can go wrong when Canadians transfer large sums to people close to them — and how to document your intentions before it's too late
News • Apr 21
Montreal landlords are raising rents as high as 20% — here's how Canadians can legally fight back
Landlords in Montreal can request almost any rent increase — but Canadians have more power to push back than they realize, including the right to contest rates above the TAL's 3.1% guideline
News • Apr 21
Montreal landlords are raising rents as high as 20% — here's how Canadians can legally fight back
Landlords in Montreal can request almost any rent increase — but Canadians have more power to push back than they realize, including the right to contest rates above the TAL's 3.1% guideline
News • Apr 17
50% water in the fuel tank: The Ontario gas station incident every Canadian driver needs to know about
An Esso station in Elmvale, ON sold fuel with up to 50% water contamination — leaving drivers stranded and facing steep repair bills. Here's who's liable and how to protect yourself
News • Apr 17
50% water in the fuel tank: The Ontario gas station incident every Canadian driver needs to know about
An Esso station in Elmvale, ON sold fuel with up to 50% water contamination — leaving drivers stranded and facing steep repair bills. Here's who's liable and how to protect yourself
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