For the 13th month in a row, border crossings between Canada and the U.S. are down.
For many British Columbians, heading down to Washington state was a weekend staple. All you had to do was cross the border and then you could shop as much as you wanted at Trader Joe’s, eat your America-exclusive fast food, or even drive to Seattle for a trip.
As tensions between Canada and the U.S. continue to boil, many British Columbians have opted to avoid the border altogether and simply not go to the U.S. any longer.
“Choose Canada”
According to data from the Cascade Gateway Border Data Warehouse and Whatcom Council of Governments, 100,709 vehicles from B.C. crossed their four border points in February. This is more than 16.6% down from the vehicles that passed through in February 2025.
In July 2025, there were only 118,000 B.C. crossings into Washington, with points at Peace Arch, Pacific Highway, Lynden and Sumas having 88,686 fewer vehicles passing through the border than last year’s.
This decline in southbound travel has been happening since February, coinciding with U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk on tacking on tariffs to Canadian goods, as well as his threats of annexation. During this time, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians to “choose Canada.” B.C. Premier David Eby also added in early March 2025 that “if you have a choice about where to travel, avoid traveling to the United States.”
Border Crossings Down Between Canada and the U.S. Means Businesses are Down
With the drop in travel, some U.S. businesses have taken a large hit to their traffic. This also includes municipalities, such as Blaine and Bellingham, which are particularly concerned with the lack of Canadian tourists crossing the borders, as Canadians form a significant portion of their economy.
While some U.S. businesses have attempted to entice Canadians to come back to the U.S. with Canadian-exclusive deals, the current numbers continue to show a decline in border crossings.
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