SARNIA, Ontario (BlogHear.com) – Kristina Lampert, a waitress at Freighters, a popular restaurant in Sarnia, Ontario, has noticed a significant change in the past few weeks: fewer visitors, particularly from Canada’s southern neighbor. She used to separate her tips into Canadian and American piles, but now, that practice has stopped.
Located just a short drive from the Blue Water Bridge, which connects the US and Canada, Freighters was once a go-to stop for travelers crossing the border. But now, with trade tensions running high and tariffs increasing, fewer Canadian diners are making the trip.
“A lot of people used to come over and say ‘we’re here for the view,'” Lampert recalls. “I haven’t heard that at all recently.”
Border Crossings Decline Amid Tariff Tensions
The downturn in cross-border traffic follows US President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods, a move that has strained US-Canada relations. According to data from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), border crossings between the two nations have dropped by 17% since the tariffs were introduced. Additionally, Statistics Canada reports a near 32% decrease in car trips from Canada to the US compared to March 2024.
The economies of border towns like Sarnia, Ontario, and Port Huron, Michigan, are intertwined. Port Huron, with fewer than 30,000 residents, depends heavily on cross-border retail, tourism, and dining. Residents in these towns can easily cross the border for shopping, dining, and other services.
Duty-Free Shops See Decline in Sales
A stark example of the impact can be seen in Sarnia’s Duty Free shop, the last stop for Canadians before entering the US. Once a bustling store, the shelves now sit fuller, and the parking lot emptier. Tania Lee, who manages the store with her family, says this has become the new norm.
“We are suffering because of collateral damage at the border,” Lee explains. Sales during peak seasons, like Easter, have dropped significantly, as fewer Canadians cross the border.
Barbara Barrett, executive director of the Frontier Duty Free Association, reports that some of Canada’s 32 land-border duty-free shops have seen sales fall by up to 80%. Most have experienced a 50-60% drop.
Broader Economic Impact on Michigan and Beyond
The loss of Canadian tourists is not just affecting Sarnia and Port Huron. The US Travel Association estimates that a 10% drop in Canadian tourism could cost the US up to 14,000 jobs and a loss of $2.1 billion in business. In 2023, Canadian visitors spent a collective $238 million in Michigan alone, a significant contribution to the state’s economy.
“Michigan is likely to feel the brunt of this decline,” said Port Huron Mayor Anita Ashford. The mayor expressed frustration with the ongoing tensions between the two countries, pointing out the negative effects on local communities that depend on tourism and cross-border commerce.
Calls for Understanding and Resolution
Local leaders are calling on federal officials to recognize the economic strain on border towns.
“I hope people in Washington will start to understand what they’re doing to the people,” Mayor Ashford said. “We are not responsible for this; the federal government put us in this position, and now we have to deal with it respectfully.”
She added, “We need each other,” underlining the interconnected nature of the US-Canada border communities. As the trade tensions continue, these border towns hope for a resolution that restores the economic stability they once enjoyed.
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