Bethel,
You 've to pay a little bit on a rental car for sure, such as for the insurance upon picking up the car etc, but if you want to book a car and all for free and pay really a very low price, then you have to first EARN points and many of them in order to redeem them for any other possible good/option upon arrival in Canada if you need to use any free service.
Let's put it this way:
many new immigrants to Canada, fly back and forth a few times in prior to really get landed and stay permanently, it is for these people and will be really very wise to choose to fly only ONE or maybe two or three airliners who participate in the same frequent flyer program but always choose to earn your points and have them been registered at ONE single airliner so you can earn as many as possible points towards each trip and staying at your hotel so when you come back to stay here, that you can book your rental car for example, through the website of the airliner and while logged into your account and using your points to do the magic.
The best airlines and the most famous of them do belong to Star Alliance, such as Air Canada, United Airlines, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa, Austrian, JAL etc, ... BEFORE you travel to Canada next time (And/or to any other destination in the meantime and in prior to getting here and to stay permanently), ONLY book and travel with airliners that do belong to Star Alliance, then pick one, let's say like United Airlines, susbcribe and register for their frequent flyer program that is called " Mileage Plus Program" and book your next trip.
You go to let's say New York or Dubai or Delhi or wherever, you earn points. You return home, you earn points. You want to stay at a hotel? book your hotel through the website of United Airlines too so you can also earn points towards each stay that will be added up and registered on your United Airlines Mileage Plus program. And please note that whenever you check-in or check-out, do a dubble check with the hotel if they are going to register your points so you won't face missing points and can also keep track of your account activity online.
Those of you who live in USA are more lucky and can easily earn more points since if you participate any of these programs, you can also apply for a credit card through them and earn many points at once and also do your online shoppings at Sears or many participating shops and earn one point for each dollar spent etc.
Now, after let's say a few times flying back and forth, a few hotel stays and using a rental car and having earned enough points, you are now planning to come to Canada and stay? .. Ok then. Book your flight, you can pay for your ticket or redeem points for it in full or in part, OR, you book your hotel and/or rental car using your points!
If you 've like let's say 50000 points at United Airlines, you can easily book a compact car and/or a full size car for like 2 to 3 weeks. You only need to pay for additional charges and/or insurances or exta's such a GPS system built-in the car upon picking up.
My best experience so far personally with rental companies (I 've had them all), has been with National and Alamo.
I mean: Really really these guys are the best. They have the best fleet, largest cars in their flees, the best customer service, most friendly and they do all understand the situation.
Hertz is also good, but I sure will keep renting a car at National and/or Alamo for sure.
Hotels:
If you stay at a hotel, stay at hotel that belongs to a large International corporation and not just any hotel. Many hotels in Canada do enjoy special programs and cooperate with Air Canada's frequent flyer program called " Aeroplan" and banks as well, so if you open an account and have a credit card, you can also easily go and earn many points but if you are still outside of Canada and travelling around for any reason, then stick to one group only and check on hotels/rentals whether they do cooperate with that group or else you will only earn points at different agencies who do not support each other and then you 've done it all for nothing really and no reason.
It isn't that difficult as it might sound, believe me. It only requires patience and time to look around, get the best deals and play with these options.
If you do so, you 'd be like me ... drive around in a big car for almost nothing for a whole month!
or stay at different hotels, choose our own hotel room upon arrival too and yet pay less per night, or get one or two nights for free although to be found eligible for that option, you 've to redeem points prior to booking and online only! not at the hotel's front desk though, they will simply refuse to give you a room for free, but might give you a discount on the nightly rate if you are a Gold or Platinum member.
Good luck and do your best
