American Border Communities Feeling the Momentum of Canadian Wounding by the Trump Administration

American tourist sites proximate to the Canadian border, whether it be Old Orchard Beach in Maine or northern New York State both of which are proximate to the Quebec-Canadian border, and heavily reliant on Canadian tourism, are feeling the decline both actual and potential in Canadian tourism and face severe challenges in the summer make or break profitable months in attracting Canadian visits despite decades of loyal cadres of Canadian tourists.

The reason?

The weak Canadian dollar with an official rate of 70 cents to the American dollar. Historically a weaker than American dollar, with rare and limited exceptions, has always been the norm.

Erratic threats of punitive tariffs levied against Canada by the Trump administration in violation of existing Canadian-American trade treaties coupled with aggressive derogatory Trumpian comments about Canada becoming the 51^st state, about former Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau being appointed as the Governor of Canada, about Canada being a nasty trade partner and Canada as the land of the igloo people have raised the ire (to put that mildly) of Canadians. Canadians are generally reserved and polite so imagine them booing the American national anthem at sporting events with American teams visiting Canada is indicative of a deep wounding of the Canadian psyche.

The North Country Chamber of Commerce in Plattsburg, New York expressed its concern about declining Canadian visitation as follows on 27March2025:

Canadian visitors have long been a cornerstone of our local economy. Whether they’re vacationing, shopping, dining, or accessing services, our Quebec friends support businesses of all kinds—not just those in tourism.

Canadian visitation dropped 16% in February, driven by a weak exchange rate, new tariffs, and shifting political perceptions. A recent poll even found that over a quarter of Quebecers now view the U.S. unfavorably, and more than 40% of Canadian group tours have been canceled.

To help, the Adirondack Coast team has developed bilingual signage for use across all types of businesses. Whether you run a store, an office, or a service-based business, we’re asking you to join us in creating a consistent, region-wide message of welcome.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 & 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿: https://bit.ly/4iIiAZM
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀: https://bit.ly/42aIG0y