Southbound border crossings in B.C.'s Lower Mainland see sharp drop in 2025
As U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods took hold at the start of this year, the number of vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading south via border crossings dropped sharply, data shows.
Data from the Whatcom Council of Governments — a U.S. regional government agency that is centred along the northwest Washington state border — shows a nearly 43 per cent drop in vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading south via Lower Mainland border crossings this March compared to March 2024.
The number of border crossings had also begun to drop in February, but they took a sharp downward turn after Trump imposed tariffs in the first week of March, amid a wave of anti-U.S. sentiment and a push to stay north of the border.
The mayor of Blaine, Wash., situated near the Canada-U.S. border, is pleading with Canadians to consider returning, even as the minister leading B.C.'s tariff response acknowledged there will continue to be pain on both sides of the border due to the trade war.
"I understand why Canadians want to boycott America and not support America," said Blaine Mayor Mary Lou Steward last week. "I understand that; however, by boycotting blue states [that elected Democrats] like Washington, what you're actually doing is making Trump happier.
"He does not like blue states. He is a president only for those who support him, not for the whole country. And so by causing Blaine to suffer, you're actually making his day."
WATCH | Blaine mayor pleads with Canadians to consider returning:
Washington mayor wants to strengthen cross-border relationships
8 days ago
Duration 5:24
Blaine, Wash., Mayor Mary Lou Steward is concerned about the impact the trade war between Canada and the U.S. is having on her community. While many British Columbians are re-thinking their relationship with the U.S. because of current American policies, Steward says she wants to see cross-border ties strengthened.
Steward says British Columbians and Blaine residents have much in common, and she wanted to preserve the relationship as much as possible.
"There is a move in the county council to try and put forth a letter or resolution stating that we support Canadians coming. We want you to come. We want to make you feel welcome," she told Stephen Quinn, host of CBC's The Early Edition last week. "This does not represent us."
Other regional co-operation organizations along the West Coast have come out against the trade war.
Legislators representing the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, a non-profit that is funded by U.S. states and Canadian provinces from Alaska to Montana, recently signed a resolution that committed to advancing bilateral co-operation amid the tariff war.
The resolution "urges the governments of the United States and Canada to continue to prioritize and strengthen their bilateral relationship through open dialogue" and was signed by MLAs from five Canadian provinces, as well as lawmakers from five U.S. states.
However, there may be more short-term pain yet for Canadians, as Trump mulls a sweeping set of global tariffs, starting April 2, in what he is calling "Liberation Day."
Ravi Kahlon, the B.C. minister who is leading the province's response to the trade war, acknowledged that residents will wake up on Wednesday feeling nervous for their jobs and families on both sides of the border.
"President Trump is calling it the day of liberation. In fact, it's the day of isolation because the U.S. is now closing borders to the world, and that is going to put a challenge on us in the short term," Kahlon told reporters on Tuesday. "But we will come out of it strong."
Kahlon added that the province had strong trade partners in Europe, as well as strong trade partners in the Asia-Pacific region that were reaching out proactively as the province moves to diversify its exports.
"The approach that we're seeing from provinces, the response we're seeing from people across Canada, it fills me with great pride."
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Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The polls suggest he's doing just fine. Here's a summary: – Carney's Liberals are ahead by an astonishing 23 points in Ontario and 27 points in Quebec, says the aggregator Polling Canada – Nanos gives the Grits an 11-point lead over the Tories, and a 32-point lead over the NDP, and says that Carney more than doubles (51%) Poilievre (23%) for preferred Prime Minister – A Polling Canada seat projection suggests that all means 196 seats for Carney and only 121 for Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives – Angus Reid Institute says almost 60% of the country approve of Carney's performance Read More Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It's Summertime, Tories and Dippers will say. No one is paying attention to Ottawa, they'll insist. And there's some truth to that. Carney is still in his honeymoon, they'll also claim. It's early days. He hasn't been tested. Except: Mark Carney has been tested. He has. And, on multiple files – particularly those involving international affairs – he hasn't met the standard he's set for himself. Canadians are still giving him the benefit of the doubt, however. Overwhelmingly, they still approve of his performance. Consider: Carney clearly believed he could craft a trade deal with Donald Trump – and avoid Trump's tariffs. He dispatched his most-senior, most-trusted advisors – elected and not – to Washington, for weeks, to hammer out a deal. He, they, failed. They came home with their tails between their legs. 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