“Steep Decline” in Travel From Canada to the U.S. Continued in June
by Bruce Parkinson
Fowler says people are so much more than the governments that happen to represent them.
Canadians are not getting over it. New federal data shows that Canadian residents returning from travel to the U.S. by air in June was down 22% year-over-year, in what Statistics Canada calls “a steep decline.”
Automobile trips are down even more, plunging by 33%.
The decrease is in contrast to Canadian travel overseas, which has seen a seven per cent increase compared to June 2024.
Tensions in the Canada/U.S. political relationship have led to many Canadians choosing not to cross the U.S. border. As well as ongoing tariffs on goods — and constant threats to increase them — U.S. President Donald Trump has frequently mused about Canada becoming America’s 51st state, an idea that the vast majority of Canadians find unpalatable and offensive.
While incoming travellers by air totalled roughly the same number as last year, there was a 10% drop in visitors crossing the U.S. border into Canada by car, marking a fifth consecutive month of declining traffic.
In a report titled ‘Recent Changes in Canadian-resident travel to the United States, StatsCan writes: “The abrupt and steep declines in Canadian residents returning from the United States at the start of 2025 suggest a notable change in travel patterns. However, it is currently unclear whether the change is temporary or part of a more permanent shift.”
Historically, the United States is by far the most popular international travel destination for Canadians, accounting for roughly 26 million of the 38 million trips made outside the country in the 2023-24 fiscal year, according to Global Affairs Canada.
That number is higher than the next eight most popular countries combined. Following the U.S., the leading destinations for Canadians are Mexico, the Dominican Republic, France, Cuba, the UK, Italy, Spain and Germany.
