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What to Do with Your Tax Refund: 5 Smart Moves for Canadians

  Tax Season · Personal Finance By MoneySavings.ca Editorial Team • May 7, 2026 • 7 min read Tax season is wrapping up across Canada, and for millions of Canadians, that means a refund cheque — or a direct deposit — is on its way. The average Canadian tax refund hovers around $1,800. That's real money. The question is: what's the smartest thing you can do with it? It's tempting to treat a tax refund like "found money" and splurge. But here's the truth — that refund was your money all along. The government was just holding it for you, interest-free. So before it quietly disappears into day-to-day spending, let's look at five moves that will make it work harder for you. $1,800 The average Canadian tax refund — enough to make a meaningful dent in debt, pad an emergency fund, or kick-start your TFSA for the year. 1 Pay Down High-Interest Debt First If you're carrying a balance on a credit card, this should be your very first call. Most Canadian credit car...

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Walmart Opposes Adding Panic Buttons to Stores

 

Retail giant Walmart has taken a firm stance against implementing panic buttons in its stores. The New York State Senate recently passed legislation requiring major retail chains, including Walmart, to install panic buttons in easily accessible locations or provide wearable/mobile-phone-activated panic buttons for staff. However, Walmart’s top corporate affairs officer, Dan Bartlett, expressed concerns about false alarms triggered by panic buttons. He emphasized that most incidents turn out to be non-emergencies.

Walmart operates 4,700 stores nationwide, including 98 in New York state. The legislation now awaits New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s decision. If she takes no action within 10 days, the Retail Worker Safety Act will automatically become state law. The bill also mandates violence prevention and safety training for retailers with 10 or more employees.

While Walmart’s workforce is not unionized, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) has advocated for the bill to become law in New York. At Walmart’s recent annual meeting, some employee shareholders proposed an independent review of workplace safety policies, but the proposal was defeated.

In summary, Walmart’s opposition to panic buttons reflects concerns about practicality and false alarms, even as the debate continues over ensuring safety for retail workers.


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