I was in Amherst visiting a friend over Easter weekend. She decided we were going shopping and I didn't have enough American cash with me. I tried checking around to change some Canadian currency. The few places that would have exchanged for me wanted such a ridiculous exchange rate that I didn't bother spending any money at all. If you expect Canadians to visit your city then you really should inform your merchants that Canadian money is real money and that it is actually worth more than American money right now. What really surprised me was that Tim Hortons, which is a Canadian company, wouldn't even give me a fair exchange rate. Tha best rate I was offered anywhere in your city was $1.10 Cdn for $1.00 US when in fact the bank rate is somewhere around $.96 Cdn buys $1.00 US. Walmart was the real winner. I saw something there that I would have purchased for $225. With the exchange rate they are offering, that item would have cost me $350 Cdn.