In brief
Small towns like Port Huron, Michigan, are feeling the impact of declining Canadian tourists due to trade tensions and tariffs imposed by Trump, with local businesses struggling to stay afloat.
Across the U.S.-Canada border, towns like Port Huron, Michigan, are facing significant economic challenges. Once bustling with Canadian visitors enjoying the views and local dining, businesses are now struggling due to declining cross-border traffic. Kristina Lampert, a waitress at Freighters, mentions that it has been weeks since her restaurant saw Canadian diners. Since tariffs were imposed by Donald Trump, border crossings have dropped by 17%, with Canadian car trips down by nearly 32% compared to March 2024.The economies of border towns like Port Huron and Sarnia are tightly linked, making this dip in Canadian visitors particularly troubling. As Canadians opt to "Buy Canadian," local businesses such as the Sarnia Duty Free are reporting staggering sales declines — some stores have seen up to an 80% drop. Barbara Barett, a duty free executive, emphasizes that these shops are crucial to local economies. Tania Lee, who manages a family-run store, highlights how they’ve experienced a drastic change with fewer customers coming across the border — a trend that has become “the new norm.” Port Huron's mayor, Anita Ashford, expresses concern for the bond between the two nations, stressing that the local communities are negatively affected by broader governmental policies. With statistics showing that a 10% drop in Canadian tourism could cost the U.S. billions and thousands of jobs, local leaders hope Washington recognizes the human impact of these trade disputes. "We need each other," Ashford insists, urging a return to cooperation.
