Between 180,000 and 200,000 construction workers took their well -deserved vacation. According to several polls, including those ofThe sun And from CAA-Québec, a majority of Quebecers have chosen to stay in the country, and some have even canceled their trips to the United States.
These weeks of leave for the construction sector have shown that boots have followed the lips.
The Canada Border Services Agency (ASFC) told the Soleil Sunday that 512,896 Canadians returned from the United States by land between July 20 and 26, marking a drop of 238,239 travelers compared to 2024.
There is also a decrease of 20,000 Canadian citizens returning by plane from the United States, compared to last year, for the same period.
However, it was impossible to obtain, for the moment, specific data for Quebecers and concerning the last week of the construction vacation.
On the other hand, at 10 a.m. on Sunday, on the last day of the construction holidays, there was no expectation to cross border posts located in Quebec, according to information displayed on the ASFC website.
A few hours later, shortly before 3 p.m., customs activity had intensified.
Travelers had to wait approximately 45 minutes in Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle as well as 20 minutes in Saint-Armand and Lacolle, the most popular border posts in Quebec.
For all other border posts, there was “no delay” to return to the country, not even to Stanstead, which is usually prized by Quebecers, mentions the ASFC.
The camera that broadcasts the images of Route 173, near the Armstrong border post in Beauce, showed a completely deserted road almost all day. An observation similar to that made by The sun During his border visit, earlier in July.
Nothing to make the owner of the local off-tax store smile, Éric Lapointe, who hoped for a bigger influx of travelers during the weeks of construction to get his head out of the water.
“Instead of a reduction in sales of 50 % compared to last year, as in June, I recorded a 40 % drop. It is a slight improvement, but always a disaster, “he said Soleil Sunday.
“I easily provide alone, when we should be at least two at that time,” he adds before going to serve a rare customer to his store.
The height of misfortune, even visitors from the United States are less numerous than usual.
Mr. Lapointe notes an 8 % drop in their attendance, a drop identical to that observed in the capital’s hotels by Alupa Clarke, director general of the hotel association of the Quebec region.
The ASFC counted 21,776 US less crossing the Canadian border by car between July 20 and 26, 2025 compared to last year.
