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The U.S. proposes entrance fee for Canadian Visitors

Quote:

Canadians visiting the U.S. may soon have to pay for it.

U.S. President Barack Obama is proposing a $5.50 "passenger inspection fee" for Canadians. The proposal is contained in the 2012 draft budget he submitted to Congress on Monday.

Until now, visitors from Canada -- as well as from Mexico and selected Caribbean countries -- have enjoyed a waiver from the fee. But Obama's budget blueprint notes that charging the fee to Canadians would add millions to U.S. government coffers and would help offset the costs of increasingly intensive air-passenger inspections.

The charge would apply only to those arriving by air or ship, not private vehicles. That's likely to please the growing number of Canadian vacationers who drive across the border before flying to their holiday destinations.

According to Statistics Canada, some 16 million Canadians flew into the U.S. in 2009. The $5.50 head tax would add almost US$90 million to U.S. government coffers.

The U.S. is by far the most visited destination for Canadian tourists, who took 4.1 million trips to its southern neighbour in December, according to statistics reported on Thursday.

In all, Canadian residents took 4.8 million trips abroad in the last month of 2010, up 2.3 per cent from the previous month.

Same-day car travel to the U.S. rose 6.7 per cent to 2.3 million trips in December, the highest level in three years, while air travel in December rose 1.1. per cent to 592,000 trips.

Travel from the U.S. to Canada, however, declined 1.6 per cent to 1.7 million trips in December.

The proposed fee comes just a week after Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Obama agreed to a deal that would establish a North American security and trade perimeter.

With files from The Canadian Press

Well I already don't have a huge desire to visit the U.S., this just gave me more reason not to.

This isn't going to effect land traffic so if you drive down to Seattle for example, and fly out of there, we won't have to pay the levy (which many of us do). And it won't effect cross boarder shopping. But still this is annoying given how it's supposed to pay for expensive security procedures that have already been proven to be extremely ineffective.

great more hidden vacation fees. o well only $6
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My bad, didn't see LiquidTurbo already posted this.

i rather pay 6 bucks more to have a vacation at LA then to Toronto

price of flights within canada is a joke anyways

wtf?! gay................

Wow.... nice way to thank Canadians that want to spend money in their country.

As if the airport taxes, HST, baggage charges weren't bad enough.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. Go USA!!! Keep that US Dollar sinking!!!! :rolleyes:

Bellingham airport has and always Will be the only way I'll fly :)
Posted via RS Mobile

Edit: need to take a pill.........

Canada's too nice, we gotta pull this shit on Americans too..

Feebama strikes again..
I never shop in WA. Real deals are in Vegas and Galveston.

Only if our government had the balls to return the favour, charge yanks coming up here $10.

Quote:

Originally Posted by g_spyder91 (Post 7309429)

Only if our government had the balls to return the favour, charge yanks coming up here $10.

might be more profitable to ENCOURAGE them to come here and spend their money. now...to think of something we have thats better and cheaper than theirs that would encourage them to do so....hmmmmm drawing a blank
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Quote:

Originally Posted by midnight_r (Post 7309346)

Feebama strikes again..
I never shop in WA. Real deals are in Vegas and Galveston.

better than george....bush (was thinking of a way to incorporate debt or bankrupcy or recession into his name but realized the words 'george bush' are already as bad an insult as it can get :-p)
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It's only $5.50.. but I guess it's more the principle.