Scene+

Scene+ is a Canadian multi-partner loyalty program that began in 2007 under the name Scene. It was created by Cineplex and Scotiabank as a way to connect cinema attendance with financial-services rewards. Members originally earned points through Cineplex ticket and concession purchases and could redeem 1,000 points for a standard movie admission. Scotiabank also introduced Scene-branded Visa and debit cards, enabling members to accumulate points on everyday spending outside Cineplex venues. The debit card was notable in the Canadian market because it allowed rewards accumulation on debit transactions. The program gradually expanded beyond cinema. Cineplex added Tuesday ticket discounts for members in 2012. In 2014, Scene formed a partnership with Sport Chek, and in 2015 it added restaurant brands operated by Cara Operations, now associated with Recipe Unlimited. Some of these early partnerships later ended or changed as partner companies adopted other loyalty systems. Cineplex also revised its redemption structure in 2015, requiring more points for premium formats such as 3D, IMAX, D-BOX, and UltraAVX, as well as for VIP cinemas. A major transformation occurred on December 14, 2021, when Scene merged with Scotiabank's Scotia Rewards program and was relaunched as Scene+. The enlarged program extended its scope into shopping, dining, travel, entertainment, and banking. It added travel earning and redemption through an Expedia-powered travel service, online shopping and cashback opportunities through Rakuten, and the ability for eligible Scotiabank cardholders to apply points as credit to their bank accounts. Points generally have a stated redemption value of approximately one Canadian cent each, although the value can vary by offer and redemption channel. Empire Company joined the ownership group in 2022 after deciding to leave the Air Miles program. Its grocery, pharmacy, and convenience banners—including Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland, IGA, Thrifty Foods, Lawtons, and Needs—were gradually added to Scene+ beginning in August 2022. Home Hardware was subsequently announced as a partner, with participation scheduled to begin in 2023. These additions shifted Scene+ from a cinema-and-bank program into a broad Canadian household rewards ecosystem. Scene+ members can earn and redeem points at Cineplex cinemas and entertainment venues such as The Rec Room, participating restaurants, grocery and pharmacy banners, selected retailers, travel services, and through eligible Scotiabank financial products. The program also supports gift-card redemptions and selected direct purchases at major retailers. In 2026, Shell Canada was announced as a future partner, with a phased rollout beginning in Alberta in March and expanding to the rest of Canada in May. Cineplex and Scene+ also announced a revised cinema earning structure for May 2026, reducing the uniform earning rate on some regular purchases while increasing rewards associated with premium purchases. Scene+ is therefore positioned as a coalition loyalty platform whose value depends on the breadth of its partner network, the usefulness of its points, and integration with Scotiabank's payment products.

Scene was established in 2007 by Cineplex and Scotiabank as a Canadian cinema loyalty program. Its initial proposition was straightforward: customers earned points from Cineplex movie tickets and concessions and could exchange 1,000 points for a standard movie admission. The program also provided a concession discount and was supported by Scene-branded Scotiabank Visa and debit cards. These cards broadened the earning base beyond Cineplex properties, allowing members to collect points through ordinary payment activity. The partnership developed through a series of incremental benefits. In 2012, Cineplex added a Tuesday ticket discount for members. Scene then pursued external partnerships, including Sport Chek in 2014 and Cara Operations restaurant brands in 2015. The Sport Chek relationship later ended when the retailer moved toward its parent company's Canadian Tire Money and subsequently Triangle Rewards system. At Cineplex, premium movie formats were placed on a separate redemption scale in 2015, with 3D, IMAX, D-BOX, UltraAVX, and VIP admissions requiring more points than standard tickets. The program's most important turning point came in December 2021, when Scene was combined with Scotiabank's Scotia Rewards service and renamed Scene+. This merger changed the brand from a primarily cinema-oriented scheme into a multi-category loyalty platform. The new service added travel booking and redemption through Expedia, online shopping opportunities through Rakuten, broader retail and restaurant participation, and account-credit redemption for eligible Scotiabank cardholders. The program's categories came to include movies, shopping, dining, travel, entertainment, and banking. Empire Company joined Scene+ in 2022 and became part of the ownership structure. Its decision followed the planned discontinuation of its participation in Air Miles. Starting in August 2022, Empire's banners were added progressively across Canada. These included Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland, IGA, Thrifty Foods, Lawtons, and Needs. The grocery and pharmacy rollout significantly increased the frequency with which customers could earn and redeem points, making Scene+ more relevant to routine household spending rather than occasional cinema visits. Home Hardware was announced as another partner in September 2022, with participation scheduled for July 2023. In January 2026, Shell Canada was announced as a further partner, with implementation planned in stages beginning in Alberta in March 2026 and continuing elsewhere in Canada in May. The Shell arrangement was designed to cover fuel, car-wash, and convenience purchases, while eligible Scotiabank and Tangerine cardholders could receive additional benefits through linked cards. Scene+ remains operated through Scene LP, a joint venture involving Scotia Loyalty, Cineplex's Galaxy Entertainment, and Empire Company. Its competitive proposition is based on coalition breadth and flexible redemption rather than a single retail category. Members can use points at Cineplex and entertainment venues, participating restaurants, grocery and pharmacy stores, selected retailers, travel services, and through eligible banking relationships. The program continues to evolve its economics: Cineplex and Scene+ announced a revised cinema earning structure for May 2026 that would reduce points on some regular purchases while increasing the rate for selected premium purchases. The long-term identity of Scene+ is consequently that of an integrated Canadian rewards network connecting media consumption, payments, food, shopping, travel, and fuel.

• 2026

  Shell Canada partnership scheduled

  [1]Scene+en.wikipedia.org

  Shell Canada is scheduled to join Scene+ through a phased rollout covering fuel and convenience transactions.

• 2023

  Home Hardware participation scheduled

  [1]Scene+en.wikipedia.org

  Home Hardware's banners are scheduled to enter the Scene+ network.

• 2022

  Empire Company joins ownership group

  [1]Scene+en.wikipedia.org

  Empire Company takes a stake and begins adding grocery, pharmacy, and convenience banners.

• 2021

  Scene becomes Scene+

  [1]Scene+en.wikipedia.org

  Scene merges with Scotia Rewards, adding travel, shopping, and broader banking functionality.

• 2015

  Premium cinema redemptions repriced

  [1]Scene+en.wikipedia.org

  Premium formats and VIP admissions require more points than standard movie tickets.

• 2014

  Sport Chek partnership announced

  [1]Scene+en.wikipedia.org

  Scene expands into sporting-goods retail through Sport Chek.

• 2012

  Tuesday member discount introduced

  [1]Scene+en.wikipedia.org

  Scene members receive an additional discount on Tuesday movie tickets at Cineplex.

• 2007

  Scene launches

  [1]Scene+en.wikipedia.org

  Cineplex and Scotiabank establish Scene as a cinema loyalty program in Canada.

A broad Canadian coalition loyalty program linking entertainment, financial services, grocery, travel, dining, retail, and everyday spending.

• Loyalty membership · 2021

  Scene+ membership

  The core membership lets Canadian consumers earn and redeem Scene+ points across participating cinema, entertainment, grocery, pharmacy, dining, retail, travel, and banking channels. The value of membership depends on the partner used and the applicable offer.

• Rewards currency · 2021

  Scene+ points

  Scene+ points are earned from eligible purchases and activities and can generally be redeemed at approximately one Canadian cent per point. Redemption options include cinema admissions, concessions, gift cards, travel, selected retail purchases, and account credit for eligible Scotiabank customers.

• Financial-services rewards · 2007

  Scene banking rewards

  Eligible Scotiabank debit and credit cards allow members to earn Scene+ points on card spending and, in certain cases, apply points toward credit on their Scotiabank accounts. The banking component extends the program beyond transactions at participating merchants.

• Travel rewards · 2021

  Scene+ Travel

  The travel service, powered by Expedia, allows members to earn and redeem points toward eligible travel bookings. Scotiabank cardholders can also have options to apply points to qualifying travel purchases under the program's applicable rules.

• Cinema and entertainment rewards · 2007

  Cineplex rewards

  Cineplex remains the program's foundational partner. Members can earn points on eligible movie, food and beverage, merchandise, gaming, and related purchases, and redeem points for standard or premium cinema experiences subject to the prevailing redemption schedule.

• 2026

  Shell Canada partnership announcedStrategy

  Background

  Shell Canada announced a move away from Air Miles after a long participation in that program.

  Action taken

  Shell Canada announced a phased integration with Scene+, allowing earning and redemption for fuel, car-wash, and convenience purchases.

  Aftermath

  The planned rollout would extend Scene+ into the Canadian fuel-station category.

  Source

• 2022

  Empire Company joins Scene+M&A

  Background

  Empire Company planned to discontinue its participation in Air Miles and sought a replacement rewards platform for its Canadian banners.

  Action taken

  Empire Company acquired a stake in Scene+ and progressively added its grocery, pharmacy, and convenience chains.

  Aftermath

  Scene+ gained a substantial everyday-shopping footprint across Canada.

  Source

• 2021

  Scene merged with Scotia RewardsStrategy

  Background

  The original program was centered mainly on Cineplex and Scotiabank, while the partners sought a broader everyday-use rewards proposition.

  Action taken

  Scene and Scotia Rewards were combined and relaunched as Scene+, with travel, retail, online-shopping, and expanded banking redemption capabilities.

  Aftermath

  Scene+ became a multi-category coalition program rather than a primarily cinema-focused loyalty scheme.

  Source

• 2015

  Premium movie redemption rates increasedPrice change

  Background

  Scene had originally used a relatively simple standard-ticket redemption model, but Cineplex offered increasingly differentiated premium formats and VIP experiences.

  Action taken

  Cineplex required 1,500 points for premium formats such as 3D, D-BOX, IMAX, and UltraAVX, and 2,000 points for VIP tickets, compared with 1,000 points for a standard admission.

  Aftermath

  The change established separate redemption tiers for standard, premium, and VIP cinema experiences.

  Source

• 2021.12.15

  Reported2021.12.15

  Rakuten Rewards Canada announces partnership with Scene+[2]Rakuten Rewards Canada宣布与Scene+合作newswire.ca

  Rakuten Rewards Canada announced a partnership with Scene+ that gives members the opportunity to earn increased Cash Back and exclusive offers by signing up for Rakuten.ca and linking their Scene+ account.

Read more

1. 1Scene+en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Rakuten Rewards Canada宣布与Scene+合作newswire.ca