Over the past year, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of British Columbians driving into the United States. The latest data from the Whatcom Council of Governments in Washington state reveals that there was a 38% drop in the number of vehicles crossing the border from north to south in November compared to the previous year.
In November, a total of 115,669 vehicles with B.C. registration plates entered Whatcom County, marking a decrease from the 121,064 vehicles that crossed in October. The month of April saw the lowest number of border crossings this year, with only 98,576 vehicles heading southbound, representing a 51% decline from the previous year.
Interestingly, the trend extends beyond just land travel. Statistics Canada reported a continued decline in Canadian air travelers heading to the U.S., with 8.9% fewer passengers boarding U.S.-bound planes in October compared to the previous year. In contrast, overall passenger numbers at Canada’s major airports have increased by 4.5% over the same period.
This decline in cross-border travel between Canada and the U.S. began around the time of Donald Trump’s presidency inauguration, coinciding with his controversial remarks about annexing Canada. Despite this, there has been a slight uptick in American travelers visiting Canada, with a 1.3% increase in arrivals in October compared to the previous year.