Going to Canada - Any Recommendations

My husband and I are planning a trip to Canada for our second trimester vacation - we live in New Hampshire. We were planning on picking up our baby crib and any other furniture we needed because of the better dollar exchange (I also hate to have to buy all of our stuff in Massachusetts since I can't stomach paying sales tax) Any recommendations on where to go. Also, since I know most stores don't have cribs in stock should we order ahead based on online info or should we have it shipped or make two trips?

Thanks for suggestions-
Lauren

ps- if anyone knows any good bed and breakfasts that will take dogs that would be a big help since we will be traveling with our little corgi (our first baby)

Where in Canada will you be vacationing? This would help to make a few suggestions as to which stores you should and which not to bother.

I don't know how much of a sale tax in Massachusetts, but in most provinces (except in Alberta, which you are too far to drive to anyway, lol) there are sale taxes of about 6 to 8%. Canada-wide there is a Good and Services Tax of 7%. For example, in Ontario, the taxes to add on top of your subtotal price is 15% (8% provincial tax and 7% GST).

Not to mention the duty that you might have to pay at the border if you are to bring the furniture back with you. If they are made in Canada, then I don't think there are any duty (free-trade). But if foreign-made, say Pali cribs, then there would definitely be duty.

I would suggest you look around locally for the kind of furniture that you like. Get the manufacture name, collection, model numbers, the pieces that you want to order, then try contacting the Canadian stores for better prices. The dollar is low so you'll do okay ordering from up here. Plus, when you order, there would be a shipping charge, but you would save the taxes.

My email is [email protected] if you require help locating stores. By the way, I am around the Toronto area.

Non-resident travellers in Canada can get the GST refunded to them after they leave. This includes GST paid on hotel accommodations, and other "non-material" things. Just be sure to keep all receipts. Here is a cut-and-paste from a Canadian tourism site:

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There is a 7% Goods and Services Tax (GST) currently in effect in Canada. Visitors to Canada can obtain a GST rebate by submitting all GST receipts (up to $500.00 CDN) to a participating duty-free shop when they exit Canada or to a tax rebate outlet.

Alternatively, visitors to Canada may file for a GST rebate with Revenue Canada and be reimbursed by cheque. In order to do so, visitors travelling by private vehicle or charter tour bus must have their original receipts validated by staff at a duty-free shop or customs officials. Visitors departing Canada by air, rail, bus, or ferry must include their boarding pass or carrier ticket with their claim. For further information, call 1-800-668-4748 (from inside Canada) or (902) 432-5608 (from outside Canada).
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Like HipMaman, I am also Toronto-area. What cities or general areas were you planning to visit?

KathyO

We are thinking of going to Montreal and Ottawa. We've been all over Nova Scotia on previous vacations (Canada has the best provincal parks for camping)so we figured we would go some place different. Thanks for the info on getting the tax rebate back. I'll put my husband in charge of saving all the receipts. So, hopefully everyone will be able to offer a few suggestions of places that we can go and how to go about getting all the furniture we need. We've got a big truck and the Honda insite (the electric hybrid car) so we thought we would take the electric car on this trip (the dog fits better in the harness in the back) and then we can make a quick trip up to pick everything up when it comes in in the truck. Let us know what you think. Thanks for all your help.

Lauren

I forgot to add-we are pretty much looking at Canadian made cribs

I live in the States (Indiana to be exact) and we bought ALL our nursery furniture from Canada. I had my heart set on Morigeau furniture (which I absolutely adore) and couldn't beat the prices in Canada. We literally saved over a thousand dollars.

If you save all your receipts, like the poster said above, you can get back all the taxes you'll pay in Canada. One you'll get back at the border, the other you have to send away for. Also, as long as the furniture is Canadian, you don't have to pay any duty at the border (thank God for NAFTA!). They pretty much wave you through as long as they can see the Made in Canada stamp on the sides of the box.

We are actually about to order our glider from the same store in Canada. We'll save over $300 from buying it hear and almost $150 from ordering from someplace like GoodNightBen.com.

The only downside is that we have to pick up the furniture, but my parents actually live less than an hour from Canada, and they've been willing to help out. If you're close enough to pick up the furniture, you've got it made.

I would strongly suggest knowing what you want before you go, as it speeds up the process considerably. Also, have an alternate in mind, as we were told that some styles/stains are produced solely for export to the US and that Canadian stores can't get them.

Just my 2 cents.

Sarah

I am from Ottawa and actually still have family there. Of course all this was before husband and babies. I know of a few stores, but I'll ask around for you.

What exactly are you looking for? Crib & furniture (what brand, model), strollers???

If it's a Canadian-made crib that you want like Morigeau, it is almost a sure bet that all baby specialty stores would have it, but you have to order.

Let me know and in the meantime, I'll ask around for stores for you.

My friend in Montreal recommends a place called Kidz for the higher-end stuff, and suggests also calling the furniture store Brault and Martineau to see if they stock cribs and etc.

You can also find a big-box neighbourhood (there's one out in the West Island) and take a fast flip through Sears, The Bay, and Toys R Us to see what the stock is like. At least when it's all close together, you can get through them pretty rapidly!

For B&Bs in Quebec which take doggies, here is a listing of directories that should help:

http://directory.google.com/Top/Regi...and_Breakfast/

Happy hunting!

KathyO

Here are a few stores that carry high-end baby gear and furniture in Ottawa to check out

Sleepy Hollow (613-733-4778), Kiddy Town (613-526-2833), Linen Chest (613-721-9991) and Kidz (613-737-0660).

Another few suggestions for Montreal...

Kidz, Le Boutique Carrousel du Parc (514-279-3884, 5608 du Parc Ave)

If I find out more I will post again.

PS When are you thinking of going? Ottawa is beautiful in the spring and summer. There is the International Tulip Festival in early to mid May.

Anyone have any Ontario store recommendations? We live in Michigan and are looking to take a trip over to shop!

Thanks everyone for the above information! Very helpful!

Thanks so much!!

Maura,

I'll post this here and on the "new" thread that hipmomma started for you.

I grew up in SE Michigan and my parents are still there. We bought ALL our nursery furniture (Morigeau) including our glider (EG) from Canada and saved literally over $1000 based on what we would have had to pay here in Indiana. We purchased all of the furniture from a furniture store in Windsor called Coulters. They have a website (www.coulters.com) but you can't order off it. They can only deliver in Ontario and SE Michigan (for a fee), but my parents are close enough that they were able to run over and pick it up for us. (If someone else is picking it up for you, the invoice, etc. MUST be in their name, or they can't get it through customs.)

I literally cannot speak highly enough of this furniture store (no I'm not being paid for this). We got our custom ordered Morigeau furntiture in less than 4 weeks (we were qoted 10 initially) and the custom ordered glider in 2-3 weeks. They bend over backwards to help you, and there is no pressure to buy. I have called them several times for quotes on different items, they always call me back within about 10 minutes, and their prices are ALWAYS better than buying anyplace else I've found, even online. (For example, for the same Dutailier glider, Coulters was $150 US less than goodnightben.com, and we didn't have to pay shipping.) They even have a "lowest price guarantee" within 50 miles or something. If you decide to work with them, the salesperson we used was Christina Kouvelas.

Sorry this is so long, but as you can probably tell, we are very positive about this store.

Let me know if you have any questions, etc.

Sarah