[north 42]

Originally Posted by wave46

Other than cheap US flights (to a select few destinations) and shopping (now hurt by the falling Canadian dollar), I'd be surprised that most Montrealers would even consider going to Plattsburgh. Why would they bother with the hassle of the border?

IMO, people tend to gravitate towards larger cities than to smaller places, unless you have a cottage or something of the like.

For instance, I'd expect that more people from Windsor go to Detroit than the other way around, excepting those in the 19-20 age group who want to party.
Or to use another example, not many Torontonians (aside from Leafs fans who want tickets they can afford) go to Buffalo. Toronto has everything you might need/want in a city without the hassle of driving 150ish kilometers down the QEW. Now, if you're talking Torontonians going to New York City, that's a different ballgame.

There is a lot of back and forth between both cities, its not just one sided. Go to any good restaurant in Windsor, and you will find lots of Americans. Windsor/Detroit is much more integrated than any other border region, as it is essentially one big metro that happens to be split by an international border. Much different from cities that are more than an hour away from each other.