Shoppers clog bridges as Canadian dollar soars

BUFFALO — Western New York retailers are reaping rewards but drivers face delays on bridges as shoppers flock across the border from Canada for deals, with the Canadian dollar at its highest since August 2007.

Buffalo’s WIVB reports that all three international bridges in western New York were jammed Sunday afternoon with wait times exceeding an hour at the Lewiston, Queenston and Peace bridges.

Custom officials were anticipating this since Monday is a Canadian holiday, but the situation was intensified by the rapid raise of the Canadian dollar to $1.06 against the U.S. dollar.

Statistics from the Bridge Commission indicate almost 150,00 cars passed the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge into the U.S. in July. The Rainbow Bridge was almost at 200,000, a 15 percent increase over this time last year.