Canadian Shopping Gives Montana an Economic Boost

The weekend after black Friday was a good one for commercial businesses nationwide, but particularly good for retailers near the Canadian border.

"The hotels were booked to capacity," says Joe Unterreiner, the president of the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce. "I think that a lot of that has to be due to bargain shoppers from Canada."

Part of the reason for the influx of Canadian buyers has to do with changes in Canadian law that went into effect in June of 2012. Before, overnight shoppers could only carry $50  worth of merchandise across the border duty free. Now, that limit is up to $200. The amount of money able to be spent by individuals goes up the longer they stay in the U.S. so it is now possible for Canadians to make much larger purchases and return without paying added costs.