Trump’s tariffs take a toll: Americans feel the pinch as half a million fewer Canadian travelers drove to the U.S. last month as trade war sours relations

According to a report, the number of Canadian travellers visiting the US by car dropped significantly in February after trade tensions rose between the two countries.

No Road Trips Across Boarder

As per data provided by US Customs and Border Protection, the number of Canadians travelling across the north border fell by half a million compared to the same period last year. Overall, 2.2 million Canadians entered the US by car, down from 2.7 million the previous year, the Toronto Star reported.

According to data tracked by Statistics Canada, even the number of Canadian return trips from America by car fell 23% to 1.2 million from about 1.5 million in the same period last year, reported Toronto Star.


The sentiment is reciprocated among Americans as well. The US resident returns to Canada declined 7.9% in February compared with last year, according to the report.

Donald Trump's Unpredictable Tariffs

The driver of this shift appears to be the inconsistency in US President Donald Trump's threat of tariffs, as per the report. Trump imposed a 25% tariff on goods coming from Canada and Mexico on February 1, claiming migrant and drug traffic issues that needed to be tackled, reported the Toronto Star.

However, the tariffs were then postponed for 30 days two days later, as per the report. But they were reinstated on March 4, only to be suspended again on March 6, with a new deadline of April 2, as per the Toronto Star.

Changing Travel Plans: Many Canadians Look for Alternatives

This has forced travellers to find different choices. Francine Cochrane, co-founder of Playcation Travel, which organizes vacations in theme parks, said lots of her clients are now cancelling their US vacations, reported Toronto Star.

But she mentioned that travellers are conflicted on how to react. While Cochrane said, "some travellers have said they won’t go back to the US until the whole tariff mess has been sorted out," as quoted in the report. She also claimed that, "Other travellers are holding firm. They say that they’ve booked their trips, so they’re going. Others are doing the wait-and-see," as quoted by Toronto Star.

However, some tourists who initially intended to holiday at US theme parks have transferred their bookings to other destinations such as Mexico or the Dominican Republic, as per the report. Cochrane highlighted that, “Our bookings to the U.S. are down year over year and our bookings to all inclusive destinations are up by probably the same margin,” as quoted by Toronto Star.

FAQs

Why are fewer Canadians visiting the US?
The number of Canadian car travellers to the US dropped in February due to rising trade tensions and the unpredictability of US tariffs, as per the report.

Are Americans travelling to Canada less as well?
Yes, US resident return trips to Canada also decreased by 7.9% in February 2025.