Canada travel
- Thread starter braumeister
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Make sure you use an ATM at one of the branches of our Big 5 banks (TD, CIBC, Royal, BMO, Scotiabank). There the fees will be reasonable or non existant. The private or "white label" ones in convenience stores, gas stations, etc.. charge rip off fees. I think that's more or less the same as most US states.
Have fun in Ville de Quebec. A wayyy better destination than Montreal IMHO.
JoeWras
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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Agree. RBC (Royal) did charge a fee, but it was very minimal.
Also of note: if you haven't been to Canada lately and handled paper money, it is more like plastic money. I had some 15 year old 5's, and a few people didn't take them. Vending machines did though.
I presume this new money is harder to counterfeit and lasts longer. US is still a bit behind. I don't normally bash my country, but we are way behind on coins and cash technology. Who can't love a Twonie, for example?
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Out of Steam
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I agree. The penny and the $1 bill are simply ridiculous. With inflation, a reasonable case can be made for a $5 coin.
Out of Steam
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It's been close to 10 years since my wife and I have been to Canada. We were talking about a trip to Nova Scotia the other day. Quebec also has my interest. My wife has mentioned the Canadian Rockies recently, though I've been before.
Out-to-Lunch
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A few years ago, my wife, my SIL, and I drove from Buffalo to Detroit through Canada. As we were leaving, my mother-in-law gave us some Canadian currency that she had sitting around. As we were approaching the toll booth, I hurriedly put together the requisite toll (since I was the passenger). I quickly handed it to the driver, who handed it to the attendant, who waved us on. Then I realized "Wait! That was a picture of King George on that $5 bill!"
That bill must have been in my MIL's drawer for a LOOONG time!
Koolau
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Not for me. I like dollar bills AND pennies. I admit to being a resident dinosaur here on the Forum, but that's just me, I guess.
GhostofTomJoad
Recycles dryer sheets
Butchart Gardens, outside of Victoria. Victoria is charming. Might get chilly, but not much threat of snow.
YVRRocketSurgery
Full time employment: Posting here.
My MIL gave us some GBP's before a trip that included a stop in London. The notes were out of circulation but weren't of value from a collectors perspective. Fortunately we were able to swap them out at an HSBC while we were there.
OP
OP
The Bank of England guarantees that their notes will always be redeemable, forever.
I can vouch for that because on a trip over there about 5 or 6 years ago, I had brought some old one pound notes that I found in a drawer somewhere, left over from the 1970s. Took them into a bank to exchange for coins, and was treated to a hilarious bit of confusion among the young tellers who had never seen such things. It was fun watching them make multiple phone calls to get approval to deal with such odd items, and the most senior one finally just gave up on accounting for the transaction and reached into his pocket to hand me the equivalent pound coins.
OTOH, be careful if you bring back Swiss money from a trip there. When they replace their banknotes, which they do periodically, they establish a definite cutoff date when the old ones officially become worthless.
YVRRocketSurgery
Full time employment: Posting here.
When you take out money from a foreign ATM you can potentially be charged: an ATM fee from your home bank, an ATM fee from the financial institution that owns the ATM, and a hidden forex fee on the exchange rate. For example, here's wording from TD:
Whenever you use your TD Bank Debit Card or TD ATM Card outside of the United States to get cash at any non-TD ATM, or to purchase goods or services, or for cash advances, we will charge a foreign exchange fee equal to 3% of the transaction amount. This fee will apply whether the TD Bank Debit Card holder or TD ATM Card holder is physically located inside or outside the United States and the merchant is located outside the United States
Just make sure you are familiar with your financial institutions schedule of fees.
Whenever you use your TD Bank Debit Card or TD ATM Card outside of the United States to get cash at any non-TD ATM, or to purchase goods or services, or for cash advances, we will charge a foreign exchange fee equal to 3% of the transaction amount. This fee will apply whether the TD Bank Debit Card holder or TD ATM Card holder is physically located inside or outside the United States and the merchant is located outside the United States
Just make sure you are familiar with your financial institutions schedule of fees.
Koolau
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Same thing happened to me when I last went to Canada. I had some "paper" money left over from ca 2000?? When I went to spend it, they exchanged it for the equivalent in "plastic" money. Cool looking stuff, but very "foreign" to this traditional paper money guy (yes, I know, USA currency is actually more like cloth than paper.)
These times, they are a changin'.
Out-to-Lunch
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I did not know that. I have a 1 pound note in my wallet, which I keep because it has a portrait of Isaac Newton on it. He was the Master of the Mint, which is why his picture is there, and I am a physicist, which is why I care to have the note.
However, I was under the distinct (mis)impression that this was NO LONGER redeemable for anything. I.e., I thought UK currency was like your description of Swiss currency. Soooo, I suppose if I get really desperate, I always have a pound left.
yakers
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Interesting, I thought that when the currency changed from 240 to 100 perL that it ‘expired’ , I was there under the old money.
What is a Guniea worth?
What is a Guniea worth?
Musica40
Dryer sheet aficionado
We Were There As Well
We went back to Canada back in May of this year. We did not experience anything like that. We love Canada and there were times where going through customs was an ordeal. Aside from that, we love the country and the people and are trying to figure out a way to live there a few months out of the year now that we are retired. We were fortunate to live in Calgary for 19 months and have visited Toronto and Montreal.
We went back to Canada back in May of this year. We did not experience anything like that. We love Canada and there were times where going through customs was an ordeal. Aside from that, we love the country and the people and are trying to figure out a way to live there a few months out of the year now that we are retired. We were fortunate to live in Calgary for 19 months and have visited Toronto and Montreal.
I just set up my ArriveCan app, and sat down to enter my arrival for tomorrow, but the app only allows you to enter arrival by airport, and we are driving. Some things I read online seem to indicate you still should pre-enter this before entering in any fashion, but something is missing. We will be driving thru the Stanstead point of entry.
Has anyone done this recently with ArriveCan? How do I get it to enter my data if I am not arriving at an airport?
Has anyone done this recently with ArriveCan? How do I get it to enter my data if I am not arriving at an airport?
Ian S
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I entered Canada just last Thursday but through Pearson airport in Toronto. ArriveCan app allowed me to go through an express electronic gate with no line. Made it all faster. TBH, I don't see any utility in using it for land border entry anymore since proof of vaccination is no longer needed. Indeed the government website doesn't seem to discuss using the app for land entry. I wouldn't bother with it.
OP
OP
I used it about a year ago, driving in from Maine. All the land entry points were available then, so maybe they have changed the app.
OP
OP
I forgot to mention that last year the Canadian border agent didn't even want to look at my ArriveCan app. Just the usual passport check. So I'm sure you have nothing to be concerned about.
Sunset
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
We just returned from a trip to Canada for 1 month.
ArriveCan is not needed, and we didn't use it when driving across the border.
The port Huron is down to 1 bridge, but going into Canada was easy, as no lineup, it's like everyone avoided it or something. We had our choice of 3 empty line booths.
Coming back it was packed entering the USA, took 30 minutes to get through Customs due to the long lines.
Koolau
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Anyone know why that is?
Last couple of times I went to Canada, the agents made it very clear they did not like their neighbors to the south - including our leader. I was really surprised. They must have questioned me for 10 minutes. One kept asking me if I had any guns. Well, do you have any guns where you live? Did you bring one with you? Do you know that guns are illegal in Canada? Do you have any guns in your car?
Next time. Why are you here? What are you doing in Canada? When were you here last? Why doesn't your State tag match your State DL? Where do you actually live? Are you certain you are a USA citizen? Oh, do you have any guns? I don't understand why you want to come to Canada today? That guy, I finally told him "I don't know what else to tell you." I figured he'd turn me around, but that's when he finally waved me on through.
I don't mind the customs and border folks being thorough, but that doesn't mean they have to be disrespectful - especially about politics - I left that part out per forum rules. In the old days, it was the USA side that had all the questions (any alcohol purchased, any drugs, etc.) Last two times I came from Canada, the border guys said "welcome home" and waived me through after looking at my passport. Years ago it was "open the trunk" and out comes the dog. Now "Welcome home."
But, honestly, I too love Canada. What a great place to visit. But they need to w*rk on their manners at the border. YMMV
Northforker
Recycles dryer sheets
The arriveCan app is no longer being used for land crossings. We spent the summer in Canada and have been to all of the provinces and two of the territories, we love Canada!
JoeWras
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Maybe you are on a list. Surprised I wouldn't be on the same list considering we align on so much in thought.
Last June, we landed in Vancouver and did the automated face recognition thing at the airport, with a few computer questions. Got a little tag. Showed the tag as we walked out, they gave thumbs up, and we were done. No words exchanged.
I think it varies based on what is in the news. People are people and the world is stirring up emotions. We went at a time that was fairly news-less.
It also matters if you come via car or plane. They don't want guns coming in, so they put the screws on car entries.
Going back to the USA (from Calgary) was easy. US customs is actually in the airport in Calgary. You essentially go to a terminal that is "a little piece of USA". So you get all the nonsense done up there. They had no questions except for my maple syrup. He asked did you pay $500 for it? I'm like, what are you talking about? It is cheap here. He laughed and let me through. It was honestly some sort of test, it wasn't just a joke.
Northforker
Recycles dryer sheets
If you have a carry permit for your handgun, that info is tied to your driver's license. Border agents gave me the 30 questions about guns in 2022 when we crossed from Idaho into BC.
