The penny is being phased out and last week marked another step in that process with the Royal Canadian Mint ceasing distribution of the one-cent coins.

Pennies can still be used in cash transactions indefinitely.

"We're going to keep dealing with them until we completely run out and then we'll stop," said Rebecca Wilkins, an employee at Cobblestone Cottage in Ladner.

The government is encouraging businesses to begin using a rounding system for cash transactions. Cash transactions would be rounded up or down to the nearest five-cent increment while electronic payments don't need to be rounded.

Wilkins said staff at the kitchen shop are having to explain the new system to many customers.

The move to phase out the penny is expected to save taxpayers $11 million a year, according to the federal government.

South Coast Casuals' Tracey McKnight said she thinks people will catch on quickly to the change.

The move likely won't have much of an impact on the clothing store, she said, noting they plan to start rounding cash transactions this week "just to give people a chance to get used to the idea and hear about it on the news."

Stir Coffee House owner Robert Lowe said the end of the penny won't have much of an effect for his establishment.

"From a business standpoint, for us, it didn't really affect us at all. When we first opened we incorporated taxes into our pricing structure," he said. "What you see on the board is what you get. There's no dealing with the penny at all, for us."

Tsawwassen Scotiabank branch manager Paula Hill said people can still drop off pennies there but the bank won't give them out any longer.

"We've been going through quite a few penny rollers, a lot of people deciding to roll the pennies and get them pushed into their savings accounts."

While the Delta Hospital Foundation's recent penny drive has wrapped up, local Royal Canadian Legion branches still accept pennies for their Poppy Fund.

dwillis@delta-optimist.com