Many Canadians head stateside for back-to-school shopping

Students may feel the back-to-school dread starting to creep up on them, but for parents it is quickly becoming the most wonderful time of the year.

New statistics show there is a very good chance moms and dads will be crossing the border to stock up on school supplies and new clothes.

The trend has been brought on my higher duty-free limits and Canadian loonie hitting par with the American dollar.

John, from Pickering, said his wife is across the boarder right now picking up back-to-school stuff for their daughter.

“Just jeans and shoes and stuff like that,” he said, adding that with the exchange, as far as he is concerned, it is worth it to make the trip across the border.

As of June 1, the duty-free limit for Canadian shopping in the United States quadrupled to $200 but visitors have to stay state side for 24-hours to qualify.  Because of this, the number of hotel room bookings in the Buffalo-Niagara area has jumped up in recent months.

Overnight travel to the United States rose 7.5 per cent to 1.9-million trips in June, which is the highest level since 1972.

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