A border officer talks with a driver entering Canada at the Surrey, B.C. crossing in August 2021. Data from returning vehicle licence plates shows that Prince Edward Island residents have cut back the most on U.S. travel, with British Columbia and Quebec following close behind. The Canadian Press
Canadians have been cutting back on travel to the United States, but the decline isn’t the same everywhere. Some provinces have seen far greater drops than others. New numbers show that the travel slowdown has continued for months as many Canadians react to tensions with the U.S. government.
According to Statistics Canada, residents made 35 per cent fewer trips across the border this September compared to the same time last year. The trend follows public frustration over political remarks and actions from U.S. President Donald Trump that many Canadians found disrespectful toward Canada.
P.E.I. Tops the List
Prince Edward Island leads the country in the biggest cutback. Islanders reduced their road trips to the U.S. by more than half. British Columbia and Quebec follow closely behind, showing major drops in cross-border travel as well.
The data comes from vehicle licence plates recorded at border crossings when Canadians return home. It paints a clear picture of how each province has responded to the growing travel boycott.
Ontario Shows Smallest Decline
Ontario, however, saw the smallest decrease in ground travel to the United States. The number of Ontario-registered vehicles coming back from U.S. trips dropped by just under 30 per cent compared to last year.
This result stands out, especially since Premier Doug Ford has often voiced strong opinions about U.S.-Canada relations. Still, the province’s deep business and geographic ties to the U.S. likely keep more Ontarians travelling south.
Many Ontario residents live near major U.S. cities, making cross-border travel part of everyday life. The Windsor-Detroit corridor, for example, remains one of the busiest border crossings in North America. In September, that route saw only a 13 per cent decline in returning Canadian vehicles. Thousands of Windsor-area residents work daily in Detroit hospitals, offices, and other workplaces, keeping traffic steady despite the overall slowdown.
Prairie Provinces See Mild Drops
Alberta and Saskatchewan also showed smaller declines in travel compared to most provinces. These regions rely heavily on trade and cross-border links for business and personal travel, which may explain their smaller reductions.
It’s important to note that the figures reflect only private vehicles — such as cars, motorcycles, and snowmobiles — and don’t include transport trucks or air travel. That means Canada’s busy freight routes, which keep goods moving between the two countries, are not part of these numbers.
Separate border data from Statistics Canada confirms that Ontario’s commercial truck crossings have stayed almost the same as last year, showing that business travel between the two nations remains strong even as leisure trips fall.
The Road Ahead
Overall, Canadians made about three million fewer trips to the United States this summer compared to last year. Whether this trend continues through the winter remains uncertain. Many snowbirds — retirees who usually spend cold months down south — may still choose to head back to the U.S. despite the political chill.
