OT: Cross Border Shopping

[JoeSchmoe]

Between the very bad Canadian dollar and US inflation being even worse than in Canada, I'm surprised there aren't a lot more people from the US shopping in Canada right now.

Are the US border guards really strict on bringing across goods on day trips? Are there that many people without passports? Is the extra 5% (or so) sales tax and the gas/bridge toll still the limiting factor? 

Has anyone from the US side done the math?

[Wyldnwoody44]

I walk over the rainbow bridge and while technically less than 24 hours means you can't bring alcohol home duty free... The paperwork and tariff is so much work that they don't care, so I walk over spend an afternoon and get a couple of really cheap bottles of liquor and come home. 

I've found good deals at the Niagara outlets on the CA side and I've never once been questioned by border patrol. The caviar is I have NEXUS and take the whirlpool Bridge usually when driving so idk if they're less strict because of that. But I drive to Canada a lot, Ottawa, Québec etc and always bring #hit home without an issue. 

[PromoTheRobot]

I have a trip to Montreal planned in April to see a concert. The only thing I'm planning to bring back is some smoked meat. Maybe some beer from Unibroue if there's something that isn't imported to the US.

[Indabuff]

6 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I have a trip to Montreal planned in April to see a concert. The only thing I'm planning to bring back is some smoked meat. Maybe some beer from Unibroue if there's something that isn't imported to the US.

Be aware there are now restrictions in place for avian/poultry products coming from Canada.

[Wyldnwoody44]

And citrus, don't bring back oranges, it's a huge thing now, it's actually the only thing the guy in Ogdensburg cared about, but asked like 4 times 😂

[PromoTheRobot]

3 hours ago, Indabuff said:

Be aware there are now restrictions in place for avian/poultry products coming from Canada.

But smoked meat is okay, right?

[Wyldnwoody44]

31 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

But smoked meat is okay, right?

I brought home a couple kilos of smoked meat, smoked meat Mac and cheese and smoked meat sausages from Quebec without issue last year 

[Indabuff]

1 hour ago, PromoTheRobot said:

But smoked meat is okay, right?

Bovine, porcine and caprine originating from Canada is generally enterable as long as it's less than 50 pounds.  Poultry must be thoroughly cooked.  Fresh or chilled poultry is currently prohibited in passenger baggage due to resurgence of HPAI cases in multiple Canadian provinces.  Unless you're planning on bringing back smoked poultry, you should be good to go. 

[PromoTheRobot]

4 minutes ago, Indabuff said:

Bovine, porcine and caprine originating from Canada is generally enterable as long as it's less than 50 pounds.  Poultry must be thoroughly cooked.  Fresh or chilled poultry is currently prohibited in passenger baggage due to resurgence of HPAI cases in multiple Canadian provinces.  Unless you're planning on bringing back smoked poultry, you should be good to go. 

Couple pounds from Schwartz's, some bagels from St. Viateur, and some Unibroue selections not imported to the US. If your not familiar with Unibroue, they make some of the best beers I've ever had.

[JoeSchmoe]

29 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

If your not familiar with Unibroue, they make some of the best beers I've ever had.

They were doing it long before it was cool to make a non-adjunct non-macro lager. 

30 years or so ago as teens, we'd guzzle La Fin Du Monde for the 9% ABV. Somewhere along the line I acquired a taste for it.

Edited December 24, 2024 by JoeSchmoe

[Wyldnwoody44]

La fin du monde is delicious, actually all of their breed in the giant glass are yummy, and in Quebec Provence, really priced well 

[SDS]

4 hours ago, Indabuff said:

Bovine, porcine and caprine originating from Canada is generally enterable as long as it's less than 50 pounds.  Poultry must be thoroughly cooked.  Fresh or chilled poultry is currently prohibited in passenger baggage due to resurgence of HPAI cases in multiple Canadian provinces.  Unless you're planning on bringing back smoked poultry, you should be good to go. 

You seem oddly knowledgeable about all of this. 😂 

[JoeSchmoe]

I'm surprised you guys aren't bringing back chocolate. Canadian law requires a higher cocoa fat % than in the US. If you've ever tried a Canadian KitKat side by side with a US KitKat, the difference is glaring.

[Big Guava]

4 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

I'm surprised you guys aren't bringing back chocolate. Canadian law requires a higher cocoa fat % than in the US. If you've ever tried a Canadian KitKat side by side with a US KitKat, the difference is glaring.

After being in Brussels this summer and eating real Belgian chocolate, nothing will ever impress me again chocolate wise. By far the best chocolate I've ever had and I have had a lot.

[Jorcus]

I used to fly out of Toronto for winter Sunshine trips but even with the exchange rate the prices are about equal flying out of Buffalo. Once prices normalized after the pandemic it seemed like the deep vacation discounts were gone.

[Wyldnwoody44]

19 minutes ago, Jorcus said:

I used to fly out of Toronto for winter Sunshine trips but even with the exchange rate the prices are about equal flying out of Buffalo. Once prices normalized after the pandemic it seemed like the deep vacation discounts were gone.

It's still much better flying internationally out of Toronto, I'm flying to Iceland in March, direct from Toronto for something like 400$ round trip USD. 

Flying anywhere else, other than Europe or maybe Asia then Toronto isn't as convenient because of the drive and parking and etc. 

[JoeSchmoe]

1 hour ago, Big Guava said:

After being in Brussels this summer and eating real Belgian chocolate, nothing will ever impress me again chocolate wise. By far the best chocolate I've ever had and I have had a lot.

Euro chocolate standards are even higher than Canadian. 

Sometimes though, a regular chocolate bar is all you need. In beer terms, I don't need a Fin Du Monde while I'm sipping a beer poolside. Anything cold will do!

[PromoTheRobot]

15 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

I'm surprised you guys aren't bringing back chocolate. Canadian law requires a higher cocoa fat % than in the US. If you've ever tried a Canadian KitKat side by side with a US KitKat, the difference is glaring.

I'll add it to the list. How about Coffee Crisps or Aero bars?

Edited December 25, 2024 by PromoTheRobot

[Wyldnwoody44]

Just now, PromoTheRobot said:

I'll add it to the most. How about Coffee Crisps or Aero bars?

When I was a kid we grew up in Riverside, my sisters and I would ride our bicycles over the Peace bridge with backpacks and our birth certificates to go to Zellars and get Canadian snacks, including Aero bars for my mom. Back then Cadbury was seemingly difficult to get in the USA

Much simpler times. 

[PromoTheRobot]

2 hours ago, JoeSchmoe said:

Euro chocolate standards are even higher than Canadian. 

Sometimes though, a regular chocolate bar is all you need. In beer terms, I don't need a Fin Du Monde while I'm sipping a beer poolside. Anything cold will do!

I like to slum with a Utica Club or Genny Cream Ale. But if I'm only having one it's a nice Belgian. La'Choffe, Duvel or Leffe. Going to MTL I plan on getting some Unibroue varieties that aren't imported to the US.

1 minute ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

When I was a kid we grew up in Riverside, my sisters and I would ride our bicycles over the Peace bridge with backpacks and our birth certificates to go to Zellars and get Canadian snacks, including Aero bars for my mom. Back then Cadbury was seemingly difficult to get in the USA

Much simpler times. 

I used to ride my bike to Crystal Beach from the east side. Crossing the border in those days was like going to the corner store. No big deal.

[Wyldnwoody44]

4 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I used to ride my bike to Crystal Beach from the east side. Crossing the border in those days was like going to the corner store. No big deal.

I used to love the Loganberry suckers from Crystal Beach! 

[Big Guava]

2 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I like to slum with a Utica Club or Genny Cream Ale. But if I'm only having one it's a nice Belgian. La'Choffe, Duvel or Leffe. Going to MTL I plan on getting some Unibroue varieties that aren't imported to the US.

I used to ride my bike to Crystal Beach from the east side. Crossing the border in those days was like going to the corner store. No big deal.

Haha, growing up my best friend's family had a summer cottage in Ridgeway a few blocks from Crystal Beach.

Still remember us being in the backyard playing home run derby and hearing the rollercoaster going and the screams of the people riding it...

Edited December 24, 2024 by Big Guava

[PromoTheRobot]

1 hour ago, Big Guava said:

Haha, growing up my best friend's family had a summer cottage in Ridgeway a few blocks from Crystal Beach.

Still remember us being in the backyard playing home run derby and hearing the rollercoaster going and the screams of the people riding it...

Do you remember Potts Furniture on Sycamore? I was friends with a kid from that family. They owned a cottage right on the Lake by Crystal Beach. In our teens we used to rent the ice at the old Fort Erie Arena. The old wooden barn. We'd play hockey at midnight or 1 am, then go to his cottage and get roaring drunk. Good times.

[JoeSchmoe]

4 hours ago, PromoTheRobot said:

I'll add it to the most. How about Coffee Crisps or Aero bars?

My personal favourite is Peanut Butter O'Henry. Skor and KitKat Chunky (chunky has way more chocolate than the 4 finger traditional KitKat) would be tied for 2nd.

I know Coffee Crisps are huge with US people, but they aren't as popular here. On Halloween they're definitely a lower tier chocolate bar to have in the bag.

Canadian Reese's PB Cups were another huge favourite, but they've messed with the chocolate to PB ratio when they shrinkflated them many years back. The chocolate seems more sugary and less chocolatey than it was as well.

One hot tip is to go to Dollarama for your Canadian chocolate needs. They're $0.91, which is less than half price as anywhere else. 

[Buffano DeBoom]

Anyone have experience bringing items back to the States from Canada bought person to person like on Craigslist or Facebook? I got my eye on a piece of exercise equipment sold by a guy in Canada due to the favorable exchange rate. Is this something US Customs would scrutinize/tariff?