Americans want more personal exemption after day-trip here
Posted May 12, 2011 10:42 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – US trade reps want to raise the personal exemption amount for Americans from $200 to $1,000 during a day-trip across the line. But Canadians aren’t allowed to bring anything back on a day trip down south, and Ottawa wants to keep it that way.
Ottawa’s issue is if these trips are easier on Canadian wallets, it will hurt retailers at home and mean less sales tax revenue.
Ken Peacock with the Business Council of BC says he’s sensitive to Ottawa’s concerns, but doesn’t feel there would be large impacts if we were allowed to bring a little bit home — perhaps $50 on a day-trip, instead of nothing until we stay in the country for 24 hours.
“If you do declare it, and it’s not a significant amount, they usually will not ask you to go in and pay because it’s not worth the hassle to just collect a small amount of tax,” he explains.
US trade reps have also said both countries have a lot to gain by reducing trade barriers.
