Our local retailers are already in a very competitive market where they make very little mark-up.

So their prices may have not caught up to the fluctuating Canadian Dollar, but it is important to support OUR LOCAL businesses. They are the ones who provide us with information (and deals) on a day to day while maintaining an educated staff. You will not get any of that off a US website.

SUPPORT YOUR LFS!

I know that in Edmonton at least our good old lfs gouge everyone. When I was buying everything from livestock to equipment it was in some cases half the price to buy it from JL aquatic (and im including shipping here) as compared to any LFS in the city. As to educated staff, I beg to differ. The only educated staff I found in this city were in small lfs where the owners ran them. I say if you want educated answers research it yourself. However in the defence of LFS in edmonton there have been a few smaller ones, those run by their owners that weren't complete rip offs. (I realize the rebuttal to this will be they have lower overhead cost)

Therefore even though this isnt related to the american canadian purchases, I do not at all agree that we should support LFS.

But then again what isnt a rip off in alberta.

I will support Canadian, but not necessarily local, local support depends on how I'm treated...and that always varies with what i am spending so. I do like to see fish i purchase though, and for that reason alone i usually purchase locally. Though I do prefer the experiences Ive had in calgary with those of edmonton, but a few I nvere was able to checkout, being aquarium enthusiasts, reefwerks (which I'ver never heard a bad thing about, congrats) I've bought off howdy and wow is all i can say. And yes Albert is OK... :)

reefwerkz, marine experience and little oceans were the small vendors who I had mentioned actually had reasonable prices as well as educated staff but these are again all run by their owners. However I havent had the opportunity to shop in calgary but I know edmontons bigger LFS are aweful. Anyway Im going to stop here since this thread is about prices :) Sorry for getting off track. I guess I should find another place to vent lol.