Recent Data Shows Decline in British Columbians Traveling to the U.S.
New data reveals a significant decrease in British Columbians traveling to the United States as tensions between the two countries persist. According to the latest figures from the Whatcom Council of Governments, there was a notable 38% drop in B.C. license plates crossing into Washington state in December.
The data compiled from four border crossings – Peace Arch, Lynden, Sumas, and Pacific Highway – indicates a 36% decline in British Columbians traveling south in 2025 compared to the previous year. The overall volume of Canadian license plates traveling to the U.S. also experienced a sharp decrease from 2024 to 2025.
Notably, April saw the most significant decline at 51%, while July only dropped by 28%. The trend of decreasing cross-border travel began in February last year, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump’s inauguration, amidst threats to annex Canada and label it the “51st state.”
Further impacting travel to the U.S., the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently implemented a new regulation requiring all individuals entering or leaving the country to be photographed, with some also subject to fingerprinting. This rule applies to non-U.S. citizens, including Canadian travelers and diplomats, with the DHS planning to retain this biometric data for up to 75 years.
In contrast to declining cross-border travel, domestic travel within Canada surged last year, with more Canadians opting to spend their vacation funds within the country rather than traveling to the U.S. Flight Centre reported a 20% increase in flight cancellations from Canada to the U.S. between November 2024 and February 2025, accompanied by a 40% decrease in bookings to the U.S. during the same period.