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Alberta consumers are feeling the pinch from the low-flying loonie that has hiked the costs of U.S. travel and will likely continue boosting domestic grocery prices.

The Canadian dollar dropped below 70 cents against the U.S. greenback for the first time in 13 years Tuesday during a volatile day of trading that also saw crude oil dip briefly below US$30 a barrel.

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The sliding loonie, which closed slightly above 70 cents, is a boon for some sectors of the Alberta economy, including tourism, as foreign visitors find their money stretches further. The weak currency has also hiked travel costs for snowbirds who escape the doldrums of Canadian winters in the southern United States.

David Ball and his Calgary family of four are planning a few sunny getaways before summer hits. They planned most of the trips before the loonie’s nosedive, but have cut back a three-week vacation in Hawaii down to two weeks.