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Conference kaosws::canada

Title:True North Strong & Free
Notice:Introduction in Note 535, For Sale/Wanted in 524
Moderator:POLAR::RICHARDSON
Created:Fri Jun 19 1987
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1040
Total number of notes:13668

110.0. "MONEY EXCHANGE?" by THOTH::BONETTI (WHAT HAPPEN TO SUMMER) Mon Sep 12 1988 12:29

    I will be visiting Montreal in a few weeks and I am wondering if I
    should exchange my money here before I leave or wait until I get
    up there?  What is the corrent exchange rate? 
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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110.1A year ago the exchange was close to %40WFOV12::KOEHLERBuilding an Igloo with imported snowMon Sep 12 1988 14:327
    I have found that exchanging money in Canada usually get you a few
    more cents per dollar. Also you can shop around from bank to bank.
    Three weeks ago I saw a difference of 18.55 to 18.98 %
    
    The rate has been hovering around %18 to %20.
    
    Jim
110.2suggestionsTRCT02::MILNEMike, Canadian NETsupport 640-2122Mon Sep 12 1988 16:059
    try to stay away from the chartered banks and change your money
    at some place that specializes in currency, like Friedberg Merchantile,
    (don't know if they have something in Montreal), Deak International,
    or Guardian Trust. They usually give you a better rate. Also, pickup
    a copy of the Financial Post or Globe & Mail to see what the going
    rate is so you'll know if you're getting burnt.
    
    cheers,
    /mike
110.3some recommend B of AVAXUUM::DEVRIESMD: VAX DOCUMENT Device DoctorMon Sep 12 1988 16:2422
    We were in Quebec and Ontario in late August.  The tourist office
    at the border crossing point had a brochure for the Bank of America
    in downtown Montreal.  Our motel clerks also recommended them.
                                                      
    We didn't spend a lot of cash (Relax, you have MasterCard -- and
    bills until January from your August vacation) so we generally exchanged
    our money at the motels.  They all gave us 15% premium.  When we
    got to Niagara Falls, the official agencies (Dept. of Tourism
    or some such thing) were advertising the "latest official rate",
    which they quoted as 19%.  So the motels weren't far off on a small
    amount of money.
    
    By comparison, we had a few (less than 5) Canadian dollars left
    when we came back through New York state.  We stopped at a service
    place on the thruway, and they gave us 70 cents on the dollar to
    spend Canadian in New York.  The official rate would have been about
    84 cents.  Such generosity!
    
    So try not to bring back a lot of Canadian money to the States.
    You may have a hard time getting a reasonable rate for it.
    
    Mark
110.4Get lots in advance...CREDIT::LAWLERDuke for *GOVERNOR*Mon Sep 12 1988 16:5828
    
    
    Depending on when you plan on going to canada, it might be a wise
    idea to exchange at least some money before you go.  Most canadian
    banks seem to close at 3:00, and are not open at all on weekends.
    If you're planning to drive up for a weekend, plan on arriving 
    early, or get money in advance...
    
    If you decide to get canadian money in the U.S., don't wait until
    the last moment.  A surprising amount of banks in Mass don't have
    it on hand.  I got *really* fooled last year when I drove all around
    Shrewsbury looking for it, only to find that a "high-school bus-trip"
    was scheduled for the same weekend, and the school kids had eaten
    up the entire local supply of canadian money in the area.
      First New Hampshire bank (In windham) seems to always have 
    canadian money on hand, and at a good excchange rate.  What
    they seem to do is simply put the money recieved from the 
    canadians travelling southbound in a shoebox, and exchange it
    at a favorable rate to "get rid of it"...  
                                                             
      If you're going to frequent canada, you're probably better off
    to get a large amount of money, and simply keep what's left
    between trips rather than converting it back and forth.  The 
    amount saved can be surprising...
    
    
    						-al
    
110.5Plastic Money.....WFOV12::KOEHLERBuilding an Igloo with imported snowMon Sep 12 1988 18:269
    If you ever get stuck on a weekend, check for a autoteller that
    is part of cirrus. It will give you advance money at par in Canadian
    currency. They take MC,VISA, Bay Banks plus some others. 
    If you do make enough trips you might want to start a bank account up
    there. It's nice to have your vacation money waiting for you when
    you arrive. Plus my Bank Of Montreal card works down here too. (for
    U.S. money)
    
    Jim
110.6DNEAST::ROBBINS_GARYTue Sep 13 1988 00:1322
    I got ~22% in late August in Quebec at the Bank of Montreal.
    
    Take _some_ in advance, but change most of it in Canada...you'll
    get alot more than if you change it in the US.
    
    I got the best rate ever at a credit union (Caisse Populaire (sp))
    in Nova Scotia in 1986, but have heard that you can do better at
    banks in Quebec.
    
    As stated previously, if you're making frequent trips to Canada
    keep any extra Canadian currency at the end of your trip.  I only
    go once a year (if I'm lucky B')) so I figure it pretty close.
    
    If you've got a little left over and you don't want to get burnt changing
    it back to US then get rolls of quarters and dimes as Canadian coins are 
    taken at par in the US (except in border towns).  
                                                          
    Be careful in shops/resturants that don't post exchange rates, they
    might not offer a premium on US $$ !              
    
    
    
110.7Saumon Atlantique !DNEAST::ROBBINS_GARYRainy day person...Sun May 28 1989 11:552
    I'm going to Quebec July 23-29.  What's the current exchange rate?
    
110.8Exchange rate with US $TRCO01::GENDRONFree advice is worth every cent!Mon May 29 1989 12:5110
    To answer 'what's the current exchange rate', it depends on where
    you're coming from...but according to the Toronto Star (Sat. 27th)
    
    		$1CAN = $0.83US    or     $1.22CAN = $1US
    
    Hope that helps.  Check the local paper for the latest in the
    continuing fluctuating dollar saga!		;-)
    
    
    Dave
110.9Thanks...DNEAST::ROBBINS_GARYThe wind beneath her wings...Fri Jun 23 1989 20:051
    Thanks for the info...sorry I didn't check back sooner.
110.10Need to pay a Cellular phone billCOVERT::COVERTJohn R. CovertFri Jun 21 1991 00:1511
Is anyone with a Canadian checking account going to be in the Greater
Maynard area within the next week?

I'll sell you US$ at the exchange rate in the newspaper in return for a
check.

I may need to set up a way to do this once a month.

Most banks here want a US$20 service charge for checks written in C$.

/john
110.11where to exchange?EN::VARDARONancyTue Oct 01 1991 12:085
    From what I understand, I can exhange my $ at the hotel I'm
    staying at?  Is this true?   I'll be staying at the Prince Hotel
    in Toronto.  Thanks,
    
    Nancy
110.12KAOFS::S_BROOKTue Oct 01 1991 14:2813
    US$ can be exchanged for CDN$ in many stores, hotels, gas stations
    etc.  BUT the exchange rate can vary from EXCELLENT to terrible.
    
    Better normally is to exchange your $ at a bank, although there will
    be a typical 1% service charge.  Or for convenience, what I do when
    travelling is to use a bank card to make withdrwals from my own
    account in the local currency.  The networks available here are
    Plus, Interac, Circuit, Cirrus and Visa.  Although I do get hit with
    a service charge for using the card, the exchange rate used is the
    bank's bulk exchange rate which is as good as you get except for
    promotional rates.
    
    Stuart
110.13DSSDEV::BIBEAULTUrsine NationWed Jul 22 1992 14:0416
   I will be visting Montreal next week. Is the advice in this topic 
   still valid? Synopsis:

      1) Get a small amount of cash exchanged now so that I have some while
         travelling.

      2) In Montreal, locate a Cirrus machine and extract money using my
         VISA card (will the Canadian Cirrus tellers accept my DCU money
         card?)

      3) Failing (2), shop around at the banks.

-mike

P.S. Anyone know what the approximate exchange rate is?
110.14KAOFS::S_BROOKWed Jul 22 1992 15:026
    Bank of Montreal Automatic tellers are all on Cirrus ... and you'll
    have no problem finding BoM branches anywhere on your travels.
    
    Current exchange rate is about 83.5 cents US = $1 CDN
    
    Stuart
110.15CGOOA::OWONGSKIWI in Canada (VAO)Tue Jul 28 1992 01:109
    Bank of Montreal and Royal Bank both have ATM's at Vancouver Airport. 
    I expect the same applies for Montreal Airport - maybe somebody who's
    been there recently can confirm.
    
    I'd bring some $US across and just withdraw $CAD as required - just
    remember Cirrus puts on a flat $2-3 service charge so it's prudent to
    get larger amounts.
    
    	Owen
110.16COVERT::COVERTJohn R. CovertTue Jul 28 1992 18:187
>    I'd bring some $US across and just withdraw $CAD as required - just
>    remember Cirrus puts on a flat $2-3 service charge so it's prudent to
>    get larger amounts.

My bank charges me only $1.25 when withdrawing from Cirrus in Canada.

/john
110.17Exchange rate now ?LOW8::AHOHow about some SMOKED SKEET?Wed Apr 12 1995 16:179

	Since this is about two years old now, Doesn anyone have the
	exchange rate of US = $1 CDN ?


				Thanks,

						Mike
110.18.72 US $ = 1 C $FSCORE::HOGANbetter than ice creamWed Apr 12 1995 16:311
    
110.19OTOOA::RANKINThu Apr 13 1995 14:521
    Cost me $1.40 cdn for american $1 yesterday at Bank of Nova Scotia.
110.20POLAR::RICHARDSONSpecial Fan Club BaloneyThu Apr 13 1995 15:162
    That's the best it's been in quite a while.
    
110.21Current rate.......CASDOC::PONCEMon Jun 10 1996 18:593
    Could someone please tell me the current exchange rate.
    
    Thanks.
110.22FSCORE::B_LEURYMon Jun 10 1996 19:491
    $1 Cnd = .73 U.S.
110.23GVA05::DZIALOWSKIsharks gotta swim, bats gotta fly...Tue Jun 11 1996 19:081
    105 Pta = 1SF