Canada border crossings into US drop to pandemic-era levels

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

THE TARIFF WAR BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA APPEARS TO BE AFFECTING CROSS BORDER TRAVEL BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES. ACCORDING TO U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, THE NUMBER CANADIANS CROSSING
INTO THE UNITED STATES HIT PANDEMIC-ERA LEVELS, DROPPING BY ALMOST HALF A MILLION PEOPLE FROM FEBRUARY OF 2024 TO FEBRUARY OF 2025, FROM 2.7 MILLION TO 2.2 MILLION.
THE CBC IN CANADA REPORTS ITS THE LOWEST NUMBER OF TRAVELERS, DRIVING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, SINCE COVID MEASURES EASED IN APRIL OF 2022.
PRESIDENT TRUMP RECENTLY IMPOSED 25% TARIFFS ON STEEL AND ALUMINUM PRODUCTS, COMING IN FROM CANADA. CANADA THEN RESPONDED WITH ITS OWN TARIFF INCREASES ON AMERICAN GOODS, TOTALLING 21 BILLION DOLLARS. .
THE RHETORIC BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES HAS INTENSIFIED WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP AGAIN SUGGESTING THE UNITED STATES ANNEX CANADA AND MAKE IT THE 51ST STATE.
THE NUMBER OF CROSS BORDER TRAVELERS, GOING INTO THE UNITED STATES, WAS ACTUALLY UP IN OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER AND JANUARY COMPARED TO ONE YEAR PRIOR. HOWEVER, THE BIG DROP CAME IN FEBRUARY TRUMP’S FIRST FULL MONTH AS PRESIDENT AND AS THE TARIFF ISSUE BECAME FRONT-AND-CENTER.
IMMIGRATION LAWYER LEE SAUNDERS, WHO LIVES ON THE BORDER TOWN OF BLAINE, WASHINGTON ACROSS FROM BRITISH COLUMBIA, TOLD THE CBC QUOTE, “ THERE’S JUST A HUGE REDUCTION IN CANADIANS, YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE COSTCO PARKING LOT, TRADER JOE’S. CANADIANS ARE VOTING WITH THEIR WALLETS RIGHT NOW. “
HE BELIEVES THE TARIFFS, THE TALKS OF CANADA BECOMING THE 51ST STATE AND FEAR OF IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AGENTS ARE KEEPING CANADIANS AWAY.
ON THE CANADIAN SIDE, BARBARA BARRETT, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FRONTIER DUTY FREE ASSOCIATION WHICH IS A GROUP THAT REPRESENTS MORE THAN 30 DUTY FREE SHOPS, CALLED IT A DIRE SITUATION AND DRAMATIC. SHE SAID THE BORDERS ARE NOT SEEING TRAFFIC.
THE NUMBER OF TRUCK DRIVER CROSSINGS ALSO FELL YEAR-TO-YEAR FROM 493,000 IN FEBRUARY OF 2024 TO 473,000 THIS YEAR.
FOOT TRAFFIC IS ALSO DOWN. THE NUMBERS OF WALKERS FROM CANADA INTO THE U.S. FELL FROM 117,000 IN FEBRUARY OF 2024 TO 99,000 LAST MONTH.
ANALYSTS ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN NEXT INCLUDING APRIL 2 WHEN PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS SAID TO EXPECT MORE RETALIATORY TARIFFS AGAINST CANADA IN WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID IS AN EFFORT TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD WHEN IT COMES TO TRADE. FOR MORE UNBIASED UPDATES, DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP