TERRACE, B.C. – A notable tipping point in cross-border travel has been reached this summer, with new data revealing that more Americans visited Canada in July than Canadians made trips to the United States. This is a reversal of a trend that has held for years.
According to the latest figures from Statistics Canada, U.S. residents made 1.8 million trips into Canada by automobile last month. In contrast, Canadian return trips from the United States totaled 1.7 million, marking the first time in years that American visitors by car outnumbered their Canadian counterparts in July.
The shift comes amid a decline in travel in both directions compared to the previous year. U.S. visitor totals were down 7.4 per cent, but the drop in Canadian travel to the U.S. was much more pronounced, plunging by 36.9 per cent. This marks the sixth consecutive month of decline for U.S. trips and the seventh for Canadian trips.
An earlier report from Statistics Canada noted that “Canadians’ travel sentiment toward their southern neighbour has been shifting in early 2025,” though it remains unclear if the change is temporary or signals a more permanent shift.
The change in sentiment is echoed by some national organizations. The Girl Guides of Canada recently announced it would suspend excursions to the United States, citing a commitment to inclusivity and safety related to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tightening border control policies. The organization noted that the restrictions could impact members who hold non-Canadian citizenship.
While overall international arrivals to Canada are down, air travel saw a slight increase in U.S. visitors, up 0.7 per cent from the same time in 2024.
