Fewer B.C. residents travelling south into Washington state, data suggests
Southbound border traffic has dropped since inauguration day, down as much as 45 per cent over long weekend
Fewer British Columbians are venturing south of the border amid mounting political tensions with the United States, according to international data.
Southbound traffic at the Peace Arch border was down as much as 45 per cent year-over-year during the Family Day long weekend, according to border data from the Whatcom Council of Governments.
There were also drops at the Pacific Highway and Sumas crossings. On the Family Day holiday, there were 901 fewer drivers crossing at Pacifc Highway compared to 2025, a 34 per cent drop. There was an 11 per cent dip at Sumas.
The data does not specify which countries the vehicles are registered in, but the numbers are already causing concerns south of the border.
"This is becoming like what we experienced during COVID," said Whatcom County executive Satpal Sidhu, who attributes the drop to the low Canadian dollar and mounting political tensions between the U.S. and Canada sparked by Trump's tariffs and threats of annexation.
"The two factors have combined," said Sidhu. "Locally, we are concerned; we would rather have more traffic. We feel maybe it's too early to react or take any action from our side, and there's very little action we can take because it's a federal matter."
Declining traffic
Traffic was already down heading into 2025. However, the data shows a growing gap between 2024 and 2025 figures following U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20.
Leading into the Family Day weekend, the declines mounted. Over the course of the three-day long weekend, there was, on average, a 40 per cent daily decline, peaking at 45.4 per cent on Feb. 16, amounting to 2,294 fewer drivers compared to the same day in 2024.
Economic concerns
Sidhu says Canadian visitors play a critical role in Whatcom County's economy, supporting border municipalities like Blaine, Bellingham and Lynden.
"The impact will be felt over time," said Sidhu.
U.S. International Trade Administration figures from 2022 highlight the value of Canadian land-border-crossers to the U.S.
A total of 7.1 million Canadians travelled stateside by land alone, spending an average of $1,083 per visit. With 785,000 of them coming to Washington that year, the Evergreen State was the third-most visited state.
"I would like Canadians to know that you're always welcome. We are a welcoming community, and I think that we should continue to maintain the relationships we have at a local level."
WATCH: Whatcom County leaders urge Canadians to keep visiting:
Blaine Mayor Mary Lou Steward says dollars spent by visitors are crucial in generating tax revenue.
"By state law, we're only allowed to increase our property taxes by one per cent. Therefore, to meet any increase in expenses like inflation, we really have to keep an eye on our sales tax. And therefore, we are dependent on Canadian shoppers coming down."
Steward says municipalities in the county are reporting a slight decrease or flattening in sales, but it's unknown whether that's because Canadians aren't visiting or American shoppers are being frugal.
She says it's too early to tell if the current data represents a long-term trend, but acknowledges Canadians might be frustrated with the Trump administration.
"I do understand this on a psychological level," said Steward. "What we as the City of Blaine are doing is focusing on running the city as best we can and making the Canadians feel welcome, and we want them to understand that whatever sentiment is coming out of Washington D.C. does not represent the feelings of the City of Blaine."
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With files from Liam Britten