US Cross-Border Travel Plunges to COVID-Era Lows Amid Political Backlash
U.S. Customs and Border Protection data reveals a nearly 500,000-person decrease in Canadian land border crossings to the U.S. in February 2025 compared to the previous year, reaching levels last seen during post-COVID travel restrictions. This sharp decline, coinciding with President Trump’s trade war and annexationist rhetoric, is attributed by experts to a combination of factors including retaliatory tariffs, concerns about increased border enforcement, and a deliberate effort by Canadians to boycott U.S. travel. The drop is impacting businesses reliant on cross-border traffic, with reports of significant sales decreases in border towns and duty-free shops. Statistics Canada corroborates this trend, showing a substantial decrease in Canadian return trips from the U.S. by automobile.
John Q. Hosedrinker