Travel between Canada and U.S. was going up earlier than commerce talks collapsed – National

Travel between Canada and the United States was steadily climbing in August, earlier than commerce talks collapsed shortly earlier than the top of the month between the 2 nations and U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his commerce warfare in opposition to Canada.

The variety of Canadians travelling south fell sharply final yr following the expansion of the Buy Canadian motion, however the development had been reversing this yr, knowledge from Statistics Canada reveals.

On Aug. 21, Canada walked away from talks after the U.S. demanded “unacceptable” last-minute concessions, Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned. After Trump imposed contemporary, sweeping 50 per cent tariffs on Canada, Ottawa responded with dollar-for-dollar counter-measures.

In August, Canadians made 2.6 million return journeys from the United States, up 8.8 per cent from the identical month in 2025. This marked the fifth consecutive month of development.

However, the journey figures had been nonetheless not again to their 2024 ranges for August.

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While return journeys by car rose 9.9 per cent in comparison with August 2025, the quantity was 27.4 per cent decrease in comparison with the identical month in 2024. Return journeys by air rose 3.6 per cent in comparison with the identical month final yr however had been down 22.7 per cent in comparison with August 2024.

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Travel from overseas in August peaked throughout the lengthy weekend, with 176,900 returning house on Monday, Aug. 3.

More Americans travelled to Canada in August in comparison with the identical time a yr in the past. U.S.-resident journeys to Canada elevated 2.4 per cent in August, reaching 2.4 million. This marked the seventh consecutive month of enhance, Statistics Canada mentioned.

In August, Americans made 1.8 million highway journeys to Canada, up one per cent in comparison with the identical month in 2025. They additionally took 629,600 journeys to Canada by air, a rise of 6.8 per cent.

August additionally marked the primary full month of operation for the Gordie Howe International Bridge, which connects Windsor, Ont., to Detroit, Mich.

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The bridge was used for 134,900 return-trips by Canadians from the U.S., though greater than half (56.7 per cent) had been same-day journeys.

During the identical interval, 101,000 Americans made journeys to Canada by way of the bridge, with 52.2 per cent being same-day journeys.

August additionally noticed a big drop in Windsor’s Ambassador Bridge getting used, with 348,000 whole journeys coming into Canada. This was a drop of 35.4 per cent from August 2025.

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