Dumb Question Department

I've heard that some businesses, taxis, prefer C$ over US$. What's the best way to handle this. Exchange on board? Take Travelers checks to a bank?

Hold your breath? Hope for the best? :confused:

Get some CAD at an ATM on shore or use a credit card if possible

Some may take USD but not at a good exchange rate

Why wouldn't they prefer to do business in the currency of the country where they work? That being said, US dollars will be taken . If you use them for a taxi, don't expect the 10% premium that you would normally get. Most taxis would also take credit cards.

Traveller's cheques are obsolete. There are ATMs everywhere. They will dispense Canadian cash and you will get your 10% premium. You will also admire the bright colours and indestructible polymer bank notes.

I've heard that some businesses, taxis, prefer C$ over US$. What's the best way to handle this. Exchange on board? Take Travelers checks to a bank?

Hold your breath? Hope for the best? :confused:

You do know that it is Canada. What do you think the odds of a NYC taxi driver or a driver in any other American city taking Canadian money are?

DON

As stated, most prefer Canadian money but will take US funds....your change will be in Canadian though and you may not get a great exchange rate.

As we do when going to US, I would suggest getting a small amount of Canadian currency.

What part of Canada are you visiting?

Why wouldn't they prefer to do business in the currency of the country where they work? That being said, US dollars will be taken . If you use them for a taxi, don't expect the 10% premium that you would normally get. Most taxis would also take credit cards.

 

Traveller's cheques are obsolete. There are ATMs everywhere. They will dispense Canadian cash and you will get your 10% premium. You will also admire the bright colours and indestructible polymer bank notes.

And the lovely maple smell when you rub the little maple leaf on the $10 bank note.

And the lovely maple smell when you rub the little maple leaf on the $10 bank note.

If you rub a loonie does it yodel?

Just leave the ship at your first Canadian port, find an ATM and get what you need.

If you are taking a taxi, tell the driver of your situation. He can get you to an ATM if there isn't one at the dock.

If you are taking public transportation you will definitely need CAD$.

To the OP - it is not a dumb question - it is one that is often asked by Americans who don't live in the northern border states and don't or haven't visit Canada before.

So as others have stated - while US $$$ are readily accepted by many Canadian businesses it is not legal tender in Canada and therefore is accepted as a courtesy - so either pick up a few Canadian $$ at your bank or use an ATM and get some of our wonderful colorful money.

Cheers!

Dennis

And the lovely maple smell when you rub the little maple leaf on the $10 bank note.

Are you being facetious ?

I must be thick .... because I do not understand your comment :confused:

I've heard that some businesses, taxis, prefer C$ over US$. What's the best way to handle this. Exchange on board? Take Travelers checks to a bank?

Hold your breath? Hope for the best? :confused:

Will they take US$? Yes

Will you get the same exchange rate you might get from a bank? Probably not.

Of course people like accepting legal tender (US$ are not legal tender in Canada). However, if you're just worried about a few businesses, almost everyone will accept US$, you just wont get as good as an exchange rate. If you want some C$, just visit a bank machine. There are a couple in Waterfront centre (across the street from Canada Place).

We're headed to Quebec in three weeks. We are ordering some Canadian cash from our bank -- several of their branches in our city offer foreign currency. They will take back the excess - no charges.

The New York reference isn't the same. Most major Canadian Cities are close to the US border. My father manged an S.S. Kresge in the 50's in Rutand Vermont. He said they accepted tons of Canadian money -- and Rutland is not on the border, but much closer than New York City. :)

The majority of the states that border Canada will accept paper bills from Canada. Once you get a bit further south, you have to have US currency. In Canada, we welcome tourists and accept US currency. You just will not get a good exchange rate from a business, as most businesses have to pay a service fee to their own banks for depositing US currency, hence the lower exchange rates. Sometimes you can get a better exchange rate at a currency exchange as long as you are not using the ones at the airport.

We're headed to Quebec in three weeks. We are ordering some Canadian cash from our bank -- several of their branches in our city offer foreign currency. They will take back the excess - no charges.

 

The New York reference isn't the same. Most major Canadian Cities are close to the US border. My father manged an S.S. Kresge in the 50's in Rutand Vermont. He said they accepted tons of Canadian money -- and Rutland is not on the border, but much closer than New York City. :)

C$ are not widely accepted more than 20km from the Canadian border. Heck, the Bellingham airport (15km south of the border and 80% Canadian travellers) doesn't even accept them for parking.

You'll find US$ much more widely accepted in Canada than the other way around. However, remember the US$ is not legal tender in Canada.

Are you being facetious ?

 

I must be thick .... because I do not understand your comment :confused:

When we exchanged some money at our Montreal hotel, the concierge demonstrated it.

Here's a link from abcNews article about it: See it for yourself here. Looks like it might be more than just the $10 note that smells like maple syrup.

Here's a link from abcNews article about it: See it for yourself here. Looks like it might be more than just the $10 note that smells like maple syrup.

Well none of mine smell like maple syrup.... just plastic :D

Power of suggestion can bring very interesting results ;)

When we exchanged some money at our Montreal hotel, the concierge demonstrated it...

*ahem* And I'm sure he had a good laugh at your expense once you left for the day! :p;):D

Our money has no maple syrup smell. That's hilarious!

We just departed from Vancojuver on another cruise & am very impressed with Canada's new currency. It is brailled. Do you know how difficult it is for the visually impaired to distinguish notes? How easy it was to braille it, way to go Canada. My daughter is visually impaired so I notice these thoughtful gestures.

We just departed from Vancojuver on another cruise & am very impressed with Canada's new currency. It is brailled. Do you know how difficult it is for the visually impaired to distinguish notes? How easy it was to braille it, way to go Canada. My daughter is visually impaired so I notice these thoughtful gestures.

Even our old paper money had braille ...nothing new

Glad you enjoyed your trip