What British Columbians need to know to shop Black Friday deals in the US

Have you missed popping down to Trader Joe’s or Target in recent years for Black Friday shopping?

With Vancouver, Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, Delta, and more just a short drive from the border, it used to be a popular day trip to shop for Black Friday deals in the US, especially when the dollar was in our favour.

But during the last few years, scoring a deal at Bellingham’s Bellis Fair or other popular shopping stops during the busiest shopping day of the year seemed out of reach.

Now that COVID-19 emergency border measures have ended, driving down to score some deals in the US has become much easier.

Gone are the days of the ArriveCan delays, which means Canadians no longer have to provide proof of vaccine to re-enter Canada; however, there are still some measures in place stateside for unvaccinated non-Americans.

But while many British Columbians have been making the trip for gas and groceries, this Friday will be the long-awaited return for both bargain hunters and businesses.

The president of the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, Guy Occhiogrosso, is affirming that Canadians heading south of the border are welcomed, valued, and appreciated.

“A lot of our retailers account much of their success and prosperity to the Canadian dollar and the Canadian shopper,” he said.

Occhiogrosso added that, thankfully, the restrictions brought on by the virus have not caused significant losses due to a lack of Canadians visiting. While most retailers in Bellingham don’t rely on the Canadian shopper, Occhiogrosso emphasized that US shops still “highly value” them.

Businesses are not quite back to “pre-COVID” normalcy, Occhiogrosso said.

Like Canada, the Bellingham area is experiencing workforce challenges, which is impacting multiple businesses, particularly retail.

Occhiogrosso encourages British Columbians planning a trip to the area to be kind to workers, as many businesses are understaffed.

“It’s the holiday season, right? We should have a little bit more patience anyway.”

He is also encouraging Canadians to show some love to smaller communities like Sumas and Blaine, as these communities have been heavily impacted by the pandemic.

“So if you’re entering in those communities, they could probably use a few extra dollars to kind of get back to even.”

Occhiogrosso also encourages folks to brush up on what they need to know about crossing the border and show some “grace, compassion, and patience.”

“There are multiple ways to get into and out of Whatcom County … So maybe do a little bit of research in advance to determine which crossing may be better.”

Tips for driving south 

For those British Columbians planning to head south for the US Thanksgiving holiday and Black Friday, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reminds drivers to be aware of longer wait times when returning.

“Travellers crossing the border by land are encouraged to cross during non-peak hours, such as early morning. The Mondays of holiday long weekends tend to be the busiest, with longer border wait times,” a statement reads.

.@CanBorder Travelling for US Thanksgiving or Black Friday deals? The CBSA offers tips to facilitate your border crossing https://t.co/FVA2oaHYCU

— GC Newsroom (@NewsroomGC) November 21, 2022

The CBSA is also reminding people that are planning to buy or pick up online purchases in the US, should be aware of their personal exemption limits.

Also, remember to declare your goods when entering Canada.

COVID-19-related land border entry requirements in the US require travellers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination when asked.