money for Canada

[elcuchio24]

You dont need Canadian money here in Canada, trust me. We're more than happy to take your American money anywhere in this country. Dont make it more complicated than it needs to be. In my 50 years I HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF ANYONE REFUSING GOOD OLD YANKEE CASH ANYWHERE IN CANADA. You'll get Canadian money back as change.

 

Thank you for your factual, real world answer! 100% correct.:)

[Islandbear]

oops! Not so fast.

 

I just left Quebec City 5 days ago. On the drive home tried to stop at Mac Donalds in Sheerbrook, running low on loonies so I tried to pay in $US. "Flat No." had to use a credit card.

[D-Roc]

I disagree: damaged money (all money that has been in circulation has a degree of damage) CAN be taken but it can also be rejected if the merchant is leery about the bank accepting it. If the money this guy in the above story had offered appeared counterfeit I'm sure the RCMP would have 'got their man'. I wondered about whether it was fake when he had a credit card but was insistent on offering cash.

 

You have every right to a mind already made up. Might find it limits your options though :).

 

 

You see I never said damaged money could not be accepted. I said in rare cases merchants may not accept because of it being damaged. Also I never saw your story of that guy so you must have edited your post. either way I was not inferring he had funny money. Even in your story for proof you said the manager was not sure how to process it or he/she would have accepted it. It is legal tender and widely accepted.

[D-Roc]

You dont need Canadian money here in Canada, trust me. We're more than happy to take your American money anywhere in this country. Dont make it more complicated than it needs to be. In my 50 years I HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD OF ANYONE REFUSING GOOD OLD YANKEE CASH ANYWHERE IN CANADA. You'll get Canadian money back as change.

 

 

Correct. Accepted ANYWHERE IN CANADA!! Don't believe others who say other wise.

[D-Roc]

oops! Not so fast.

 

I just left Quebec City 5 days ago. On the drive home tried to stop at Mac Donalds in Sheerbrook, running low on loonies so I tried to pay in $US. "Flat No." had to use a credit card.

 

 

Quebec has issues and even weird, backwards laws (see there language laws) and it is not surprising they did not want to take US cash. It could also be that the registers were not set up to accept US funds.

[Islandbear]

So $US dollars are accepted anywhere in Canada, unless you hear French or are ordering poutine. :rolleyes:

[mosiegirl]

I guess I should clarify that this would be in places where everyone (from the cruise) was paying in US dollars. You'd be in lines handing over cash and the merchants would say that they only had Canadian when they gave you cash even though everyone paying was doing so in US currency. It wasn't a big deal really, but it took some caution not to bring home a pile of Canadian money :p The exchange rate last year was 1:1 so it's not like they were getting ahead, but it is weird when you watch the person in front of you hand over $5 in US funds and then you're told they only have $5 Canadian for your change. Does that make sense?

Yes.. that does make sense.. when in Canada, you're not in the US anymore.. so should have NO expectation of any US currency back as change for any payment/purchase made north of the border (i meant Canada here ! lol )

[mosiegirl]

You quoted what she said but did you actually read it through? She said this was at a place where all the tourists were paying in US $ and gave an example of someone paying with $5 US, then the next person getting $5 Canadian as change with the vendor saying they had no US $. In that situation, there's no need for a "special stash" and is a bit curious.

Regardless if 100 people infront were all paying in US funds.. even paying in $1 dollar bills and coins.. the merchant WILL give you Canadian currency back.. you ARE in Canada afterall.. not in the US anymore.. and the currency in Canada is... drum roll... CANADIAN money ! voila !

[mosiegirl]

It's really simple. US money is not legal tender in Canada. The merchant is doing you a favor, just be accepting it. They must take it to the bank, and exchange it, thus incurring a fee. Exchanging it back in forth when it is not legal tender, makes it illegal. A Canadian citizen, can not use the money in a legal transaction, thus why it is illegal to give back US money. Money is not international, but only good in the country issued (except the Euro). Use small bills or a credit card and accept different countries have laws, and that we don't have to understand it, just accept it.

OMG.. you said it PERFECTLY ! thank you !! .. wish I had explained it like that.. lol :D

[mosiegirl]

oops! Not so fast.

 

I just left Quebec City 5 days ago. On the drive home tried to stop at Mac Donalds in Sheerbrook, running low on loonies so I tried to pay in $US. "Flat No." had to use a credit card.

exactly.. my son works at Pretzlemaker here in PEI Canada.. and US is NOT accepted ever since the dollar dived and the Canadian dollar became stronger.. sooooo more merchants are now refusing to take US dollars.. buyer beware..

[Islandbear]

You are in HaaAmerica! Because we are all from North HaaAmerica AAH! :D

[D-Roc]

exactly.. my son works at Pretzlemaker here in PEI Canada.. and US is NOT accepted ever since the dollar dived and the Canadian dollar became stronger.. sooooo more merchants are now refusing to take US dollars.. buyer beware..

 

 

But still does not mean that the US funds are not legal tender. It is legal. This is just a business decision to not except it.

[misguidedangel]

This is a hot topic..

 

Just be nice and go to the bank and get some Canadian money. It won't kill you to have it and it will make the merchants happier cuz they have to do a conversion cuz our Canuck Buck is still worth 4 cents more than your buck...ya, four cents isn't much, but our GST is 5% and that works out to 5 cents on the dollar for the goods and service tax....

 

As for Canadian money being accepted in the US--ha, I would like to know where. A friend went to Seattle a few months ago and tried to use a Canadian $5 to buy a coffee. They refused to accept Canadian money even though it was around 1.02 exchange rate and would have gotten more back in change....Perhaps in Arizona (in winter) and Nevada they are more willing to accept it. but not so much in many other states...

 

Be nice, get some good looking money.....hey, our money will stimulate your mind with the little poems or quotes on the bills..I like the $5 one with the kids and the pond hockey.....can't say much bout $50 or $100, haven't seem one in a LONG time

[meatloafsfan]

Thank you for your factual, real world answer! 100% correct.:)

 

It's not true - not EVERYWHERE in Canada will take US funds and one person's opinion doesn't make it so. Border cities and towns or those that depend on tourists (like Port cities) most places will most likely take US funds. But try going up to Timmins with your $20 US and use it at the Tim Hortons there. You'll get a big ole "Sorry, we only accept Canadian money." (saw this happen at the beginning of May).

 

oops! Not so fast.

 

I just left Quebec City 5 days ago. On the drive home tried to stop at Mac Donalds in Sheerbrook, running low on loonies so I tried to pay in $US. "Flat No." had to use a credit card.

 

Well, well, well, a real life example of US funds not being accepted! Amazing.

 

exactly.. my son works at Pretzlemaker here in PEI Canada.. and US is NOT accepted ever since the dollar dived and the Canadian dollar became stronger.. sooooo more merchants are now refusing to take US dollars.. buyer beware..

 

Exactly - I think some of the local stores here in Toronto have now posted that the exchange rate for US dollars in now $1 US is worth 95 cents CDN. When the US dollar was worth so much more than the Canadian dollar, many business were happy to take US dollars, often giving a poorer exchange rate than the banks (because they wanted to make money on the deal), now - not so much.

 

Over the past year I've gotten more US change back when buying my morning coffee than I had in the 10 years previous. Quite frankly, it's a pain in the behind for many businesses to sort the foreign money and exchange it at the bank.

[Ryancoke]

meatloafsfan: Correct. But you realize the currency experts here today will never believe you.;)

[going to see the world]

Wow...didn't know it was going to cause a debate. Thanks for the help?

[bjkTX]

LOL - I plan to stop by my local bank and pick up some Canadian Dollars before our cruise - I'll probably save 4 cents that way :-)

[elcuchio24]

oops! Not so fast.

 

I just left Quebec City 5 days ago. On the drive home tried to stop at Mac Donalds in Sheerbrook, running low on loonies so I tried to pay in $US. "Flat No." had to use a credit card.

 

Hahaha, is that the McD's with the old car in the corner? God, that's the only place to eat on that whole ride through the middle of nowhere!!!

[smallworldtraveller]

lets explain Canadian banks.. right now the Canadian $ is stronger than the US $... For every US $ we take to the bank to deposit into our business accounts. The bank will take off the exchange rate those US green backs. Then there is a small service charge to us business owners for using the service of the bank to do the exchange. As our bank now has to sell the US $ back to a US bank. it is all the cost of business. It cost more to sell the US $ back to the bank than it does to buy.

 

 

As a business owner in Canada i only deal in Canadian $ i don't handle two types of currency nor would any business owner in the USA handle types of currency. If you give me US $ to pay for your merchandise i am going to take off the exchange rate bring your dollar to meet what the value of it in CDN $ and give you your change back your change in CDN funds.

 

it works this way in both countries.

[MrSnarkyPants]

If you prefer to use Canadian currency, you can stop by any ATM on land and make a withdrawal. You'll get the wholesale bank exchange rate, which will be better than any currency exchange will offer.