Northern communities see visitation drop for fourth month
By Larry Rulison, Times Union
ALBANY — Canadian border crossings into New York state plummeted 21% in June compared to the same month last year, with 376,000 fewer travelers crossing the northern border, according to data released by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer last week.
The decline represents a drop from approximately 1.75 million crossings in June 2024 to 1.4 million in June 2025, dealing a significant blow to upstate New York’s tourism-dependent economy during the critical summer season.
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Schumer attributed the sharp decrease to President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and diplomatic tensions with Canada, warning that Trump’s threat to raise tariffs on Canadian goods to 35% this week “could burn upstate New York’s tourism industry to the ground.”
The data reveals steep declines across major border crossings throughout the state. The Rainbow Bridge saw a 25.83% decrease in automobile crossings, falling from 222,654 to 165,135, while the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge experienced a 28.99% decline.
Car crossings at the Champlain Port of Entry dropped 26% in June, representing 25,000 fewer vehicles than the previous year, according to the North Country Chamber of Commerce.
Tourism industry struggles with economic fallout
The decline began even before the first round of 25% tariffs took effect in March. Cross-border tensions escalated after Trump suggested Canada should become the 51st U.S. state, prompting widespread calls for Canadians to boycott American destinations.
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Local tourism officials are feeling the economic impact. “The slight uptick likely represents the start of summer and the St-Jean Baptiste holiday,” said Garry Douglas, president of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, noting that June numbers showed improvement over May’s 30% decline.
Broader economic concerns mount
The broader economic implications extend beyond tourism. According to the Budget Lab at Yale, Trump’s tariffs are expected to cost families more than $2,700 annually, with prices already increasing 2.7% compared to the previous year.
Schumer estimated that even a 10% reduction in Canadian travel could result in $2 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses nationwide.
The Peace Bridge Authority highlighted the financial strain on border infrastructure. “The decline of car and truck traffic directly impacts our bottom line and that of every international crossing,” said Ron Rienas, chief executive officer of the Peace Bridge Authority.
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The Senate passed a bipartisan resolution earlier this year to end tariffs on Canada, and Schumer called on House Republicans to support the measure as economic pressures mount on communities from Buffalo to Plattsburgh.
Nationally, overall border crossings dropped from about 5 million to 3.9 million during the same period, reflecting the widespread impact of the trade dispute between the neighboring countries.
The tourism decline comes as businesses across upstate New York prepare for what is typically their busiest and most profitable season, with many establishments dependent on Canadian visitors to sustain their operations through the year.
Photo at top: U.S., Canadian customs border crossing at Hemmingford Rd. in 2024, in Mooers. Will Waldron/Times Union
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The immoral, unethical, and corrupt Trump administration will never produce moral, ethical, or honorable results.
Donny Two-dolls managed to cut legal border crossings more than illegal ones. Nice going!
Fixed it for you: “Canadian border crossings drop 21% as Trump taunts and insults our Canadian neighbors”
Those of you in the New York north country who own businesses that rely on Canadian dollars, if you voted for Trump you might want to rethink the wisdom of that.
It’s primarily the threats to annex Canada and Trump’s “51st state” rhetoric, followed by the detainment of Canadian and other international tourists, followed by reading about and watching ICE “arrests” in media. Only after all those considerations do tariffs factor into our Northern neighbor’s decisions not to visit the USA. Stop thinking it’s about the money, it isn’t.
Schumer can not be trusted. We all saw him put cheese on frozen hamburger on a grill.
Where is Elise in all this downturn in tourism and economic havoc created by her supreme leader? Pretty quiet when it comes to standing up for her constituents if it also requires her to stand up to trump. Not a good look for someone who wants to continue to be a leader.
With the stalled trade “negotiations” with Canada, I can’t wait to see what further havoc Trump will bring to our relationship with Canadians by Labor Day. Maybe he’ll propose closing down the border….