'It's insulting.' Why some Canadians are avoiding the US
'It's insulting.' Why some Canadians are avoiding the US
Canadians were once the biggest group of foreign visitors to the United States. Now they are staying away in record numbers. Canadian visits to the U.S. fell from 39 million in 2024 to roughly 22.9 million in 2025 — a 28% drop — according to Transport Topics. It is the longest such decline on record: 15 straight months of falling numbers, starting the day Donald Trump took office.
The reasons are not just economic. Tariffs, border detentions, and Trump's repeated talk of making Canada the "51st state" have turned a travel slowdown into something that feels personal. "It's insulting and offensive and not the way you treat your neighbor," Vancouver lawyer Paul Doroshenko told USA Today.
Tariffs and Annexation Talk Sparked the Exodus
The trouble started February 1, 2025, when Trump imposed a 25% tariff on most Canadian goods. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fought back with retaliatory tariffs and urged Canadians to "choose Canada" for their vacations, according to Forbes. Then came "Liberation Day" on April 2, 2025 — a sweeping global tariff announcement. Cross-border car trips dropped 35% within that single month.
Trump made it worse by reviving talk of annexing Canada. He called it the "51st state" in a September 2025 speech at Quantico. He renewed that threat on June 2, 2026, after Canada entered a technical recession, according to TIME. A poll by the Angus Reid Institute found 7 in 10 Canadians felt "uncomfortable" traveling to the U.S. by late 2025. Only 14% planned to visit in 2026, down from 21% in 2024, according to Leger.
Border Fears Run Deeper Than Official Numbers Show
Official Canadian government data showed a 25% drop in visits. But researchers at the University of Toronto found the real number was far worse. Using cellphone location data, lead researcher Karen Chapple found a 42% decline in actual movement to U.S. metro areas, according to CTV News. The gap suggests many short trips — day visits, shopping runs, weekend getaways — simply vanished.
High-profile reports of Canadians being detained at the border and having their phones searched without a warrant created what experts call a "security chill." Traveler Bruce Newman told CBC News the U.S. had become a "scary place" where Canadians no longer felt welcome. Some cities saw dramatic falls: Myrtle Beach was down 65%, Orlando down 50%, and both San Francisco and New York down 50%, according to CBC News.
US Economy Takes a Multi-Billion Dollar Hit
The U.S. Travel Association estimates the boycott cost the American economy between $4.5 billion and $8.5 billion in 2025 alone. About 140,000 U.S. jobs in tourism and hospitality are at risk or already gone, the association warned. Canadians historically made up roughly 25% of all foreign tourists to the U.S., spending more than $20 billion a year.
Border communities in Maine and Minnesota describe the losses as "devastating," according to Global News. Amir Eylon, president of research firm Longwoods International, told CBC News that the hoped-for "get over it" moment has not come. The boycott remains "persistent." Now there is fresh concern the trend could disrupt the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with Canadian fans potentially skipping U.S. host cities entirely, according to Forbes.
Canada's Own Tourism Boom Fills the Gap
While the U.S. loses billions, Canada is gaining. Domestic tourism in Canada is projected to hit a record $104 billion in 2025, as Canadians redirect spending to provinces like British Columbia and Quebec, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. RBC Economics describes the shift as a "rebalancing" — Canadians are moving their travel budgets to Europe and Mexico as well.
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is leaning into the shift. He called for a "new partnership" on May 28, 2026, to reduce Canada's economic reliance on the U.S., according to TIME. Ontario Premier Doug Ford captured the national mood simply: "Canada is not for sale." For now, that sentiment is keeping millions of Canadians — and their dollars — firmly at home.
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