New data form Statistics Canada shows Canadians are avoiding trips to the United States amid tariffs and threats by President Donald Trump’s administration that have also taken American products off the shelves in Canada, seen spectators boo the American national anthem at sporting events, and threats of cutting of energy supplies from Ontario. Trump has repeatedly threatened to make Canada a 51st state.
In February, the number of Canadian-resident return trips by automobile from the US totaled 1.2 million, a steep decline (-23.0%) from the same month in 2024. February 2025 marked the second consecutive month of year-over-year decline and only second decline observed since March 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In February 2025, Canadian residents flew back from 585,700 trips to the US, which represented a 13.1% decline from the same month in 2024.
In 2024, Canada’s merchandise exports to the United States on a customs basis totaled $596.2 billion. Customs-basis imports from the United States totalled $471.3 billion, resulting in net exports of +$124.9 billion for Canada.
The category with the largest positive net export value by far was energy products (+$143.7 billion). Excluding energy products, Canada’s net export value becomes negative (-$18.8 billion).
“All you have to do is drive around or walk around in the town center and you’re starting to see the decrease in Canadian license plates,” Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael Cashman told North Country Public Radio. “You’re seeing the reduction at the mall, you’re seeing a reduction at the box stores but you’re also seeing it [at]… places like hotels and restaurants and small business shops. It’s most concerning.”
Cashman said the impacts are already being felt in his budget, and will impact construction of the Battlefield Memorial Gateway, planned for the upcoming America’s 250th Anniversary. The project is a partnership with Clinton County American Legion.
Ed Palen, owner of Adirondack Rock and River Lodge in the Essex County town of Keene told the Times Union that a Canadian hiking group who has long visited the Adirondacks each summer will not be coming this year due to the Trump administration’s policies. Palen said about 15% of his business comes directly from Canadians. Keene is a central hub for Adirondack hikers.
The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) said that about 5% of the visitors to the Northern Adirondacks are from Canada. A 20% loss of Canadian visitation costs the Adirondack economy about $12 million and a loss of $583,000 in tax revenue, the organization said.
Lake Placid is about a two-hour drive for Montreal‘s 3.5 million residents, and about three hours drive the the Canadian capital of Ottawa. Lake Placid is about five hours drive from New York City.
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