The border crossings in personal vehicles from British Columbia to the state of Washington are down for a fifth consecutive month compared to the same period last year.
Whatcom Council of Governments data in the Washington state show that traveling south from Peace Arch, Pacific Highway, Lynden and Sumas decreased by 43 % in June compared to the same period last year, or 86,686 fewer passages.
While trade negotiations between Canada and the United States are constantly questioned by President Donald Trump, the distance of Canadians with Americans translates in many forms, including their choices of travel destination.
Local companies like BC Ferries also see an increase in their demand, in part of Canadians.
For its part, Destination BC noted in April a drop of only 5 % in the number of Americans who traveled to British Columbia.
Clare Mason, of Destination BC, also declares that he has noted an increase in the occupancy rate of hotels in the main destinations of the province from January to May compared to the same period last year.
This includes Vancouver hotels, as well as Victoria, Kamloops, Kelowna, Whistler and Richmond. It indicates that air reserve for interior travel is also increasing.
A drop in sales
On the other hand, the situation affects neighboring companies dependent on tourism, as indicated by the store president excluding taxes Peace Arch, Peter Raju.
You can see that we only have three employees who work while we have a total of 28 to 30 employees. We have two teams, but now we are working on one and a half because of the lack of traffic,
he said.
The president of the store excluding taxes, Peace Arch, on the American border on the Canadian side, Peter Raju, notes the large reduction in the number of customers in his store.
Photo : Radio-Canada
He says that his sales have been reduced almost by half and he calls the governments of British Columbia and Canada to facilitate trade and promote the fraternity
connecting the two populations.
Businesses in Blaine also witness the drop in tourism, as Dono Enos from the Blaine Chamber of Commerce states. He said he contacted the local chambers of commerce in British Columbia with the hope of maintaining links outside the decisions of the high government spheres.
We try to support Canadians, we do. I think our message is “we are here for you when you are ready to come back. It’s like a lost friend of sight that will always be there.
Aware of additional control points on the American border and the number of questions asked by agents to motorists. Don Enos wishes to recall that agents seek above all to do their work for security.
Agents [de la douane américaine] try to do their best to make the experience pleasant, but they reminded me that the “bad” person they are trying to catch looks like everyone.
