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Global News
23-07-2025
- Business
- Global News
B.C. premier, Washington state senator to speak live on impact of Trump tariffs
B.C. Premier David Eby will be joining Washington state Senator Patty Murray and Washington small business owners on Wednesday afternoon to discuss the impacts of U.S. tariffs on people and businesses on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. In a release about the event, which takes place at 12:15 p.m. PT, Murray says U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada is 'driving down businesses and creating chaos for WA State's economy.' The event will be livestreamed above. Trump has announced he will impose 35 per cent tariffs on all imports from Canada starting Aug. 1. He has already applied 50 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum and 25 per cent tariffs on cars, excluding U.S.-made parts. 2:11 Carney, premiers talk trade as Trump's new tariff deadline looms Murray says that Canada is the second-largest export market for Washington state, which exports $7.9 billion in goods and $2.2 billion in services annually. Story continues below advertisement Washington state imports $17.8 billion in goods from Canada each year, according to Murray, with energy imports accounting for 54 per cent of that total. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Canada is also the largest source of international visitors to the U.S. but border crossings have dropped this year compared to last. Border crossings compiled by Cascade Gateway and the Whatcom Council of Governments show that in 2024, there were 206,978 border crossings at the four B.C. ports of entry. In 2025, there were 118,292 crossings, which is a decline of 43 per cent. This story will be updated following the press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
CBC
02-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Southbound border crossings in B.C.'s Lower Mainland see sharp drop in 2025
Social Sharing 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."
CBC
23-03-2025
- CBC
More British Columbians choosing local spring break vacations amid U.S.-Canada tensions
Social Sharing Michael Johal, a Delta, B.C., resident, has chosen to spend spring break at a beach resort in Parksville, north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. "Staying in the country, saving our money, spending money locally, that's what we wanted to do," Johal told CBC News while boarding a ferry from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo with his wife and their two young sons. "We don't want to go outside the country at all." Johal said his decision stems from rising tensions between Canada and the U.S., as well as repeated threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Canada as the 51st state. It's a sentiment shared by others, including B.C. Premier David Eby, who recently cancelled a planned Disneyland trip with his family while also encouraging British Columbians to avoid travelling to the U.S. Recent travel data suggests many people have been listening. Fewer British Columbians heading south Nearly 500,000 fewer travellers crossed the land border from Canada into the U.S. in February compared to the same month last year, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The number of B.C. drivers heading south through the Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey has also dropped significantly this year, according to data from the Whatcom Council of Governments. A rolling 30-day average of crossings through the border shows about a 25 per cent decrease compared to 2024. Drivers without a Nexus card, which allows expedited border clearance, have made up the most notable drop, down by 33 per cent. Nexus holders also crossed less frequently, but their decline was more modest at 16 per cent. Meanwhile, traffic heading north from the U.S. into Canada has remained relatively stable. A similar trend has been seen on the water. Mark Collins, CEO of FRS Clipper, which operates ferry routes between Seattle and Victoria, said travel from Canada to the U.S. has dropped by about 30 per cent since sailings for the year resumed in mid-February. "For traffic originating from Seattle [coming to Victoria], it's pretty flat. Certainly no uptick but pretty much even with last year," Collins said. He acknowledged Canadians' hesitation to visit the U.S. but hopes that once trade tensions ease, travel patterns will rebound. WATCH | B.C. cross-border traffic drops 25% amid tariffs and Trump's threats: B.C. cross-border traffic drops 25% amid tariffs and Trump's threats 4 days ago Duration 1:37 As Trump's talk of tariffs and annexation continue, data shows British Columbians are choosing to cross into the U.S. less. Justin McElroy examined the numbers and found a 25 per cent decrease in B.C. cars heading south over the past month, with some days seeing up to a 50 per cent decline compared to last year. "As long as this geopolitical situation continues, I think we will see soft traffic or a reduction in Canadians traveling south," he added. Kelowna International Airport CEO Sam Samaddar said air ticket advance bookings from Canada to the U.S. have also slowed down. "So much so that we are seeing our Canadian carriers either reducing frequency to certain U.S. destinations or ending some of the seasonal service to Las Vegas earlier than scheduled," he said in a statement to CBC News. Local tourism sees a boost At the same time, domestic travel is on the rise, according to Samaddar, with the Kelowna airport seeing a 10.6 per cent increase in passenger volumes in the first couple of months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. "We hosted the Brier early in March and have had a busy spring break so far, so I expect those numbers to continue to move in a positive direction," he said. WATCH | British Columbians travelling locally this spring break: Many in B.C. travelling locally this spring break instead of visiting the U.S. 4 days ago Duration 1:30 Many people in B.C. are choosing to travel locally this spring break as tensions with the U.S. remain top of mind. As Michelle Morton reports, tourism groups on the Island say they're seeing more visitors than usual this year. Vancouver Island, in particular, has been a popular spring break destination, said JJ Belanger, who is the chair of the Tourism Industry Association of B.C. and owner of a resort in Tofino. "It seems like the Island is doing quite well for spring break," he said. "There just seems to be a sentiment—kind of like after COVID—that people are happy to stay within their own country and travel." Belanger also cited the weak Canadian dollar as a factor keeping Canadians at home while also attracting American visitors. "They see the value of the Canadian dollar being $0.69. And so, for them, coming to Canada is obviously a great value and a great vacation," he said. In Victoria, Bill Lewis, chair of the Hotel Association of Greater Victoria, said hotel bookings for spring break have exceeded expectations, with a mix of domestic and U.S. visitors. BC Ferries, meanwhile, said it is also seeing "higher-than-usual demand" this spring break. The company said it has made adjustments to accommodate the surge in passengers. One of its vessels returned to service after months of repairs, just in time for the break, but another remains out of commission, affecting travel on the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay-Langdale routes over the Easter weekend. WATCH | Surrey duty-free shop caught in the crossfire of U.S.-Canada trade war: Surrey duty-free shop caught in the crossfire of U.S.-Canada trade war 18 days ago Duration 2:30 The trade war between Canada and the United States is now underway. A major border retailer in Surrey says its workers are caught in the crossfire. As Shaurya Kshatri reports, business groups are bracing for tough decisions, from layoffs to higher prices and British Columbians may soon feel the impact A long-term shift For Johal, the decision to travel within Canada isn't just a one-time choice—he said it's a long-term shift. Looking ahead to summer and beyond, he said his family will continue to explore local destinations. "We're talking about going to Banff and then probably coming back to Parksville and perhaps Whistler," he said.
