Canadian tourism decline taking a toll on U.S. businesses: report

Democrats on Congress’s Joint Economic Committee have issued a report warning about a decline in Canadian travel to the United States, echoing concerns long observed by border communities in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern U.S.

The report points to President Donald Trump’s tariff policies as having a particularly damaging effect on states along the U.S.–Canada border, where many local businesses depend heavily on short-term visits from Canadians.

In Maine, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data shows border crossings fell by nearly 20 per cent in 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier.

Democrats on the committee also highlighted reduced ridership on the Cat Ferry connecting Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and Bar Harbor, Maine.

READ MORE: Many Canadians travelled local during summer, avoided U.S.: Leger study

The ferry operator reported close to a 20 per cent drop in summer traffic this past July, reports Global News.

This is not the first time border-state leaders have raised alarms about the economic fallout from trade policies.

In June, Maine Governor Janet Mills traveled to New Brunswick to meet with Premier Susan Holt, aiming to strengthen cross-border ties.

The report notes that Canadian tourism generated $20.5 billion for the U.S. economy last year and supported approximately 140,000 jobs nationwide.

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