CAD$ and US$ use in Vancouver

[Shadow9612]

When we are only going to be in Canada for a day or two, we use a credit card that does not charge a currency conversion fee.

We use a major credit card that is accepted just about everywhere, the same as in the USA where we very rarely pay cash for anything.

 

 

Credit cards are so widely accepted now in Canada, even at major grocery stores, hotels, Tim Horton's, etc....so you should be fine.

 

 

It is true, you won't get a good exchange rate at the vendor, but it seems like you would only be paying cash for small purchases where a credit card isn't accepted (e.g. a corner store for a pack of gum), so it's not really significant. Even at Tim's where they are offering a lowered exchange rate, it's pennies on a cup of coffee.

 

 

Since I don't like traveling in a foreign country without some of their currency, I would convert a bit of USD to CAD upon arrival in Canada (either at the airport, or I'd search to see if there is a foreign exchange service close to where I am staying - a quick google search for Vancouver shows lots of them). Foreign exchange centres traditionally offer better exchange rates than banks.

 

 

Even still, if you are only converting a small amount of money, it's not worth spending extra time out of your short 2-day vacation in Canada, trying to search for an exchange centre.

 

 

Plus, other posters comments of suggesting using ATMs for withdrawals are very valid. ATMs in Canada are easy to find. I would suggest using an ATM from one of our big banks (Bank of Montreal, TD-Canada Trust, CIBC, Royal Bank, Scotiabank) if given a choice, over a stand alone ATM in a corner store: stand-alone machines might charge higher transaction fees (this one I am not sure about for Vancouver).

 

By the way, our new bills really are beautiful - each denomination is a different colour. Plus, the bills are different from what you are used to - they are polymer not paper! But that's a whole other topic ...

 

Enjoy Canada, eh! :)

Edited February 26, 2017 by Shadow9612
additional thought

[Cruise or Lose!]

Credit cards are so widely accepted now in Canada, even at major grocery stores, hotels, Tim Horton's, etc....so you should be fine.

 

 

It is true, you won't get a good exchange rate at the vendor, but it seems like you would only be paying cash for small purchases where a credit card isn't accepted (e.g. a corner store for a pack of gum), so it's not really significant. Even at Tim's where they are offering a lowered exchange rate, it's pennies on a cup of coffee.

 

 

Since I don't like traveling in a foreign country without some of their currency, I would convert a bit of USD to CAD upon arrival in Canada (either at the airport, or I'd search to see if there is a foreign exchange service close to where I am staying - a quick google search for Vancouver shows lots of them). Foreign exchange centres traditionally offer better exchange rates than banks.

 

 

Even still, if you are only converting a small amount of money, it's not worth spending extra time out of your short 2-day vacation in Canada, trying to search for an exchange centre.

 

 

Plus, other posters comments of suggesting using ATMs for withdrawals are very valid. ATMs in Canada are easy to find. I would suggest using an ATM from one of our big banks (Bank of Montreal, TD-Canada Trust, CIBC, Royal Bank, Scotiabank) if given a choice, over a stand alone ATM in a corner store: stand-alone machines might charge higher transaction fees (this one I am not sure about for Vancouver).

 

By the way, our new bills really are beautiful - each denomination is a different colour. Plus, the bills are different from what you are used to - they are polymer not paper! But that's a whole other topic ...

 

Enjoy Canada, eh! :)

 

 

 

This raises an important point - our bills STICK TOGETHER. Make sure your $5 tip is really $5, and not $50!

 

 

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[chrispee]

This raises an important point - our bills STICK TOGETHER. Make sure your $5 tip is really $5, and not $50!

 

 

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I actually find our new polymer Canadian bills don't stick together at all? I do however find that USD bills stick together and I have to be careful when paying...

[Fish Lover]

It's a sign of respect. Canada isn't the 51st state. Nor is the United Kingdom.

 

 

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I attended college about as far north in New York as you can get. About 20 minutes south of Montreal. We traveled across the border frequently. Not only did everyone take US dollars, but vendors frequently asked us for dollars instead of CA money (and at a very favorable exchange rate). I'm not exactly sure what the motive was, but they hardly thought of it as being insulting. I'm fairly certain that every child learns that Canada and Mexico are separate countries, despite the fact there is no separation by water.

 

There are numerous reasons why English is spoken worldwide and the dollar is generally welcome as well (although as always some exceptions). The world is smaller with increased travel, online commerce, and the ubiquity of Visa, Mastercard, and Amex. This is also not a sign of disrespect.

[Cruise or Lose!]

I attended college about as far north in New York as you can get. About 20 minutes south of Montreal. We traveled across the border frequently. Not only did everyone take US dollars, but vendors frequently asked us for dollars instead of CA money (and at a very favorable exchange rate). I'm not exactly sure what the motive was, but they hardly thought of it as being insulting. I'm fairly certain that every child learns that Canada and Mexico are separate countries, despite the fact there is no separation by water.

 

There are numerous reasons why English is spoken worldwide and the dollar is generally welcome as well (although as always some exceptions). The world is smaller with increased travel, online commerce, and the ubiquity of Visa, Mastercard, and Amex. This is also not a sign of disrespect.

 

 

 

How long ago did you attend college? And no, Americans should not assume that everyone they meet on their travels will speak to them in English.

 

I'm going to leave this thread. It's not good for my blood pressure, and I don't want to hijack the discussion any further.

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

I attended college about as far north in New York as you can get. About 20 minutes south of Montreal. We traveled across the border frequently. Not only did everyone take US dollars, but vendors frequently asked us for dollars instead of CA money (and at a very favorable exchange rate). I'm not exactly sure what the motive was, but they hardly thought of it as being insulting. I'm fairly certain that every child learns that Canada and Mexico are separate countries, despite the fact there is no separation by water.

 

There are numerous reasons why English is spoken worldwide and the dollar is generally welcome as well (although as always some exceptions). The world is smaller with increased travel, online commerce, and the ubiquity of Visa, Mastercard, and Amex. This is also not a sign of disrespect.

 

 

You'll find many people will ignore you if you ask something in English. Not everyone s taught English in school.

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

This raises an important point - our bills STICK TOGETHER. Make sure your $5 tip is really $5, and not $50!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

When we had a combination of paper and polymer nots they would stick together. With all polymer notes in service no sticky

 

 

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[Shadow9612]

When we had a combination of paper and polymer nots they would stick together. With all polymer notes in service no sticky

 

 

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If the polymer bills are new, I find they can stick a bit, but I find the same with new US dollars.... So, it's always a good idea to double check regardless of the currency ;)

[Cruise or Lose!]

Guess where I live, Dwight? LOL...you're absolutely right.

 

 

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[CRZR58]

A number of years ago I was on business in Montreal several times. Everywhere right down to McDonalds it took a real effort for people to respond to English. I think they knew it but did not want to.

That won't be a problem in Vancouver. In fact, it will be hard to find someone who speaks french at all. In Richmond, you get folks who don't speak English, they speak Mandarin, but in tourist areas it's English all the way.