I think it's less of an issue today with the strong Canadian dollar, but 10-12 years ago it was not uncommon to meet climbers from the US who would stop in Vancouver to load up on technical gear, taking advantage of MEC's cheaper prices in addition to the discount afforded by the weak Canadian dollar.

I can distinctly remember meeting ice climbers in Lillooet who had all the latest ice tools and the best ice screws, bought for 30-40% less than they would have spent at home.