That lag is a very US centric issue. Canadian membership rewards are usable once the transaction posts, no need to even wait for statement to post. Sign-up bonuses post and are usable once the threshold transaction posts (usually. Otherwise wait 8 to 10 weeks for a manual sweep)
Sadly Chase Canada is all but out of the country, down to just one card (Marriott), having sold or discontinued everything else. No ultimate rewards here for the foreseeable future