Border Fees

From Yahoo Canada:

"Americans eyeing ‘crossing fee’ for passenger vehicles at Canada-U.S. land borders"

Would you still make your weekly or monthly shopping trip to the United States if you had to pay an additional fee each time you crossed a land border by car or bus? It appears that such a 'crossing fee' could soon be a reality. In the face of daunting budget cuts, that is one of the ideas up for consideration by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as explained in their fiscal 2014 budget proposal. Canadians going to America by air or sea already pay such a fee: Each time this type of traveler enters the United States they pay a $5.50 'customs fee', which is often hidden into the cost of airline tickets. Officials are quick to note that, at this point, Homeland Security is just studying the idea as a means to address a "staffing gap" at land borders. The actual logistics of it — where to charge and how to collect — might just become to much of a challenge to proceed. The idea is also garnering opposition from some American politicians. New York State Congressman Brian Higgins says the fee would hurt the U.S. economy. "The economic integration of Western New York and Southern Ontario will define our region economically over the coming decades. Buffalo is able to maintain two major league sports teams because of the growing ticket-buying base of Greater Toronto. This is also the reason why we have low-cost air carriers, thriving shopping malls and stable cultural institutions," he wrote in a letter to the Secretary of Homeland Security on Thursday. "Given this, I was shocked to see that the Fiscal Year 2014 budget request proposed a study for a new toll on all passengers and pedestrians crossing the border from Canada into the United States. Putting up economic barriers to regional commerce is the absolute last thing we should be doing to grow the Western New York economy."

Canada-US cross border statistics:

- The 4,000 mile border between the United States and Canada has 128 ports of entry.

- According to Statistics Canada, same-day car trips by Canadians to the United States increased 0.7 per cent to 2.8 million trips in February 2013.

- According to Statistics Canada, one or more night car trips by Canadians to the United States rose to 1.2 million in February 2013.

- According to the Globe and Mail, a 2007 Bank of Montreal study suggests that Canadian retailers lose more than $20 billion a year because of Canadians shopping in the U.S..

^ It would be pretty dumb to start charging at the US/Canadian border. Canadians come to the US and spend their money (already) on items that they then bring back to Canada. If the US wants to get some money they should charge a fee at the US/Mexican border as most Mexicans come to the US to make money and then bring that money back to Mexico. Of course the US would have to get the fee from swimmers. ^

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-politics/americans-eyeing-crossing-fee-canada-u-land-borders-093343863.html