VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Get your helmet and shoulder pads ready!

Black Friday is almost here and local businesses are hoping the deals they’re offering will be enough to keep deal-seekers away from Washington State this year.

Box stores like Best Buy and Future Shop are competing with their American counterparts with door-crasher bargains.

Businesses on West 4th in Kitsilano are teaming up for a street-wide Black Friday sale.

Sears is opening at 4 a.m. tomorrow to accommodate shoppers who aren’t willing to wait until the sun comes up to give their credit cards a workout.

Surrey Board of Trade CEO Anita Huberman says in addition to the deals, there is also a moral argument to be made for shopping in Canada instead of the US.

“I think people are looking for the best deal possible in this economy, and I can certainly appreciate that, but I think we also need to pay attention to our local economy by spending our money here… That means tax dollars can be contributed toward infrastructure and things that we need. I realize, though, that as a consumer it’s very attractive to go across the border right now.”

Huberman says it’s also up to Canadian businesses to make it worth your while to choose them over their American counterparts.

“I’m really not impressed [with marketing campaigns here] because I haven’t seen that preparation that’s needed to combat the Black Friday phenomenon in the US,” explains Huberman.

“I think there needs to be more marketing by retailers in terms of sales. I think there could be a lot more innovation in our border city of Surrey.”

If you are heading south on Black Friday, News1130 will have special border reports from Canada Border Services all weekend long to keep you in the know about line-ups.