Free: Good News For All Travelers

[Capt Nemo]

Actually it is "Great News"

Canada is celebrating its 150 Birthday this year, and as part of it's celebration, " Canada " is offering " FREE" Canal Lock Passages to All Boaters everywhere.

This is a great time to schedule your Spring, Summer, Fall Travel Plans,
and "Save" a "Bunch of Cash" doing what you love.

Please pass this great saving news on to all your boating friends and clubs.

Capt Nemo

[bgallinger]

Nothing is ever "free". Travellers to Canada will discover high prices and taxes on everything.

[brownoarsman]

National parks passes are also free this year if you're interested in doing some touring away from the boat, I know I am!

[riggear]

Bgallinger...taxes are higher as is fuel, most other items are about the same +/-, BUT... the Canadian Dollar is low right now, so the American Peso goes a long way. Should be a fun summer in Canada, enjoy to all who visit [emoji1063]

[Kalinka1]

Does it apply to the Seaway locks? St Lawrence and Welland? If so it's a great deal.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by Capt Nemo

Actually it is "Great News"

Canada is celebrating its 150 Birthday this year, and as part of it's celebration, " Canada " is offering " FREE" Canal Lock Passages to All Boaters everywhere.

This is a great time to schedule your Spring, Summer, Fall Travel Plans,
and "Save" a "Bunch of Cash" doing what you love.

Please pass this great saving news on to all your boating friends and clubs.

Capt Nemo

Happy birthday to my northern neighbors, oops, neighbours. Congratulations and I wish you another successful 150 years.

I almost forgot, I have to do this too;
Joyeux anniversaire à mes voisins du Nord
Félicitations et je vous souhaite un autre succès de 150 ans.

[nautitrix]

Originally Posted by bgallinger

Nothing is ever "free". Travellers to Canada will discover high prices and taxes on everything.

This is one silly statement!! The US. dollar is worth $1.35 Canadian right now. I spend time in the US. and except for road fuel there is nothing I have noticed that is more expensive in Canada. Basically road fuel at $1 Can/litre is the equivalent of $3 US/US gallon. Almost everything else seems to be less, especially with the higher US. dollar.
Come on up here and enjoy friendly people, high levels of personal security, and watch your dollar go a long way. There are very few cultural surprises as we have very similar political and cultural institutions.
I will suggest that you lock your guns at home just because they are difficult to process through customs. Very few Canadians carry personal firearms so you won't really need them anyway.
Come on up and enjoy our summer!!!!!

[Redline452]

b

Originally Posted by Kalinka1

Does it apply to the Seaway locks? St Lawrence and Welland? If so it's a great deal.

Unfortunately not, those are the Seaway. It's the Historic canals/locks that are free... IIRC, Chambly, St Ours, Carillon, Lachine, Ste Anne. And Federal parks.

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by nautitrix

This is one silly statement!! The US. dollar is worth $1.35 Canadian right now. I spend time in the US. and except for road fuel there is nothing I have noticed that is more expensive in Canada. Basically road fuel at $1 Can/litre is the equivalent of $3 US/US gallon. Almost everything else seems to be less, especially with the higher US. dollar.
Come on up here and enjoy friendly people, high levels of personal security, and watch your dollar go a long way. There are very few cultural surprises as we have very similar political and cultural institutions.
I will suggest that you lock your guns at home just because they are difficult to process through customs. Very few Canadians carry personal firearms so you won't really need them anyway.
Come on up and enjoy our summer!!!!!

I've had some great times up in Canada. The 1000 Islands area is very nice and I've also done a fair bit of traveling in the Niagara Peninsula and Toronto areas, also nice. When I was traveling the exchange rate was around 40% and the deals were great, especially if I paid in cash U.S. It is a friendly place and worth going to. I was hoping to get to Superior and Georgian Bay this year but this work thing is beginning to interfere with my social and cruising life!

For those on the east coast, a trip up the Hudson, through Lake Champlain and up to the Montreal area is a very nice trip and not too long. you can also shoot across the Eire Canal and into Lake Ontario, the 1000 Islands, then run with the current down the St. Lawrence to Montreal and back down the Hudson. While the currents are definitely noticeable on the Hudson (Below Albany, NY), and the traffic around NYC is heavy, don't let it bother you; it's not that bad. Go and have a great trip. If you plan it right, you can return as the foliage changes in the fall and get quite the view. It will obviously change first up in Canada, and you can follow the change all the way down as it progresses.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by bgallinger

Nothing is ever "free". Travellers to Canada will discover high prices and taxes on everything.

But you're forgetting that the $CAD is only worth $0.74 USD!!

[a64pilot]

Get way up in the NWT and you will discover high prices, because I assume the transportation costs.
This was in Inuvik in 2007, basically hotdogs

[nautitrix]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Get way up in the NWT and you will discover high prices, because I assume the transportation costs.
This was in Inuvik in 2007, basically hotdogs

To be fair, those prices are much higher now. I have lived up north but not that far. If you are in Alaska and want to get to Canada for the celebration I would definitely not go east. South down the inside to Washington is going to prove much cheaper. Wonder what the price of hot dogs is in Barrow, or Wainright.

[Elie]

Originally Posted by bgallinger

Nothing is ever "free". Travellers to Canada will discover high prices and taxes on everything.

Yeah?
You benefit of a very favorable rate change between US and Canadian currencies: 33% more!..
Taxes in some places in US are also heavy, and regulations,, local taxes, marinas fees are not exactly given in Florida.

[Sailorbob8599]

Originally Posted by brownoarsman

National parks passes are also free this year if you're interested in doing some touring away from the boat, I know I am!

I believe there was a time limit on National Parks offer which has now expired. You had to get your free pass very early. I got mine same day it was offered and i'm sure the offer ended soon after due to the huge number of applications. Also, I think that offer only applied to Canadian residents so don't get your hopes up.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Kalinka1

Does it apply to the Seaway locks? St Lawrence and Welland? If so it's a great deal.

No, just the ones under Parks Canada’s jurisdiction, so the Rideau and the Trent-Severn. There’s also going to be a tall ship rendevouz with 40 ships sailing up and down the St. Lawrence, stopping at various locations. All 40 are planned to be in Quebec City July 18 to 23, but there are dozens of smaller events all up and down the Seaway and the Maritimes.

Tall ships race event for Canada Day in Quebec city | RDV 2017

Originally Posted by bgallinger

Nothing is ever "free". Travellers to Canada will discover high prices and taxes on everything.

If you actually travelled to Canada you’d know the costs of most things are pretty similar. Notable exceptions are higher taxes on things like fuel and and booze, but as others have said, the US $ is 25 to 30% higher value right now. And if it really irks you, you can apply for a tax rebate.

Those taxes pay for such “free” things like healthcare and good roads.