This Washington border county is desperate for Canadians
People have roamed across the 49th parallel on the west flank of North America for hundreds of years. Lately, many are thinking twice.
Canadians frequently stop by Blaine, Washington, for gas, dairy and other staples that tend to be cheaper across the border. But the trade and diplomatic fight U.S. President Donald Trump has picked with America's northern neighbor is causing more Canadians to stay home.
Their boycotts have put business owners in Blaine and surrounding Whatcom County on edge, wondering how long the area's economy can survive with fewer visitors from British Columbia to fuel it.
'There's just no one around,' said Mike Hill, who runs a Chevron station in Blaine, population 6,200. Gasoline sales have dropped by 40% to 50% in the past few months, he said, and even the garbage cans by the pumps now rarely need emptying.
'It's crazy. Canadians are like our brothers and sisters with just that border between us,' Hill said.
Whatcom County has been a borderland for centuries.
The longtime home of Indigenous peoples including the Northwest Coast Indians, the Lummi, Nooksack, Samish and Semiahmoo, the region was later claimed by Spain, Russia, England and the United States, according to the county's official website.
Once part of the disputed Oregon Country territory, it was split in two by a treaty between the British and American governments in 1846, creating the northern boundary of the western United States. Whatcom County was established eight years later, 35 years before Washington gained statehood.
Coal, gold and lumber once lured thousands to the area, but the promise of savings draws shoppers there now. Canadians can skirt international shipping fees by having online purchases delivered to mailboxes and parcel stores in Blaine and nearby border towns. But crossings from Canada have plummeted amid the political standoff, and recent exchange rates haven't helped.
'I am angry at the Trump administration for their arrogant and heavy-handed treatment of us,' said Tom Mills. The retired college instructor from Vancouver said he visited the United States half a dozen times last year but opted against visiting an ill friend in Oregon a few weeks ago.
That trip would've involved refueling his car with American gas and his stomach with meals at a breakfast spot in Blaine and a Mexican restaurant in Bellingham, the seat of Whatcom County and its largest city.
'It saddens me that many workers and businesses might suffer from our actions,' Mills said, 'but we will do whatever it takes to avoid supporting the U.S., and especially the Trump regime, until this hostile nonsense is stopped.'
The Trump administration dismissed concerns about diminished cross-border economic activity. 'President Trump's agenda to make America wealthy, safe and beautiful again benefits Americans and international visitors alike,' a White House spokesperson said, adding that his policies are 'helping small businesses and families across the country.'
Canadian vehicle traffic entering the United States at Whatcom County's three crossings fell by 65,000 in the first three weeks of March, about 42% lower than the same period a year ago and steeper than the 30% -drop in February, according to Western Washington University's Border Policy Research Institute.
'There are typically two people per car, so that represents over 100,000 [lost] visits,' said institute director Laurie Trautman.
Sales at Bella Boutique & Consignment in downtown Blaine have more than halved, said owner Martha Bermudez, 'far beyond the usual winter slowdown.' She knows many U.S. shoppers are spending more cautiously but said she didn't realize how many of her customers were Canadian 'until they started disappearing.'
If things don't turn soon, Bermudez added, 'we may not be able to keep our doors open.'
Next door, Sarbie Bains, owner of Blaine Bouquets and Gifts, said business is down by 30% to 40%. 'I used to have a ton of Canadian walk-in traffic, but we have nothing right now,' she said.
Down the street, Gary Slavin said he's seen comments on Canadian Facebook pages urging people not to support the Gateway 1890 Taphouse & Grill, which he co-owns with his wife, because it's an American business. It isn't exactly — Slavin is a Canadian green card holder who has lived in the United States for the past decade. Fortunately, he said, 'we're still seeing many of our regulars.'
A few Canadians are still stopping by the Blaine visitor center, said local Chamber of Commerce Secretary Carroll Solomon, but it's often just to use the public bathroom.
A few yards away one recent Sunday, Trent Arce and Gary Farrow were chatting by the welcome sign at the town entrance that reads 'Blaine, Washington, the Peace Arch City,' referring to its 67-foot monument to bilateral concord. The two co-workers at a nearby cold storage facility weren't too worried about the dearth of Canadians.
Trump 'is very wild with the things he says and does,' shrugged Arce, a transplant from Georgia.
'People will get over it,' said Farrow, a Blaine native. 'I think it will go away.'
Blaine Mayor Mary Lou Steward has reason to hope they're right. The town was already feeling pinched from inflation before Trump's tariff threats ramped up, and she said she now worries 'we may have to start dealing with furloughs' due to falling sales tax revenue.
The Canadian boycotters are forcing some Washington state business owners to answer for decision-makers in Washington, D.C.
'One woman wrote to say that while our inn is amazing, our president has offended and disrespected Canadians, so now she can't bring herself to cross the border,' said Teri Treat, managing partner of The Inn at Lynden. The 35-room property — about 15 miles southeast of Blaine, in a town known for its Dutch-immigrant heritage and architecture — has seen a spike in cancellations by Canadians, she said.
'We responded by saying we are truly shocked and saddened by the policies of this administration and understand how she must feel,' Treat said.
Another 30 minutes south, bookings at the Bellingham Airport Holiday Inn & Suites have crashed, too, with first-quarter revenue down 28% from the same period a year earlier, said general manager MegAnne Offredi.
'We started seeing the drop in visitors first with the exchange rate being so low. Then we saw another drop when the political climate started to change,' she said.
'We are starting to see similar negative trends that Covid brought to this industry five years ago,' Offredi said. 'To think we could be headed back in that direction after finally recovering from the pandemic has us all on edge.'
County tourism officials are rattled but optimistic that major events later this year will retain their cross-border appeal.
'Our concern goes beyond lodging numbers,' said Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism President Dylan Deane-Boyle. The Northwest Raspberry Festival, the Northwest Washington Fair and the Sea to Ski Race are all popular annual gatherings that make use of the area's outdoor attractions and boost its economy.
Deane-Boyle said he hopes the area's 'long and rich friendship with British Columbia, one built on shared geography, respect and trust,' will win out over international discord.
'We want our friends in Canada to know that our community will always receive them with a warm welcome,' he said. 'We understand the situation and hope they will return whenever they feel ready.'
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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