Canadian tariffs impact Bellingham economy [Video]

BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Tourists from Canada play a pivotal role in driving the local economies in Bellingham and in other northern cities in Washington state, but due to retaliatory tariffs, Canadian shoppers are finding new reasons not to visit and spend their dollars elsewhere.

“We used to come to Costco very often,” said Bing Wu, a resident of Vancouver, B.C. “Cheaper, yeah. Especially gas.”

Canadians like Wu would often drive across the border just to stock up by filling several cans of gas. But those days are over, he said.

“We don’t use the cans to carry back anymore, because it’s maybe not worth it,” Wu said.

In the last month, those crossing back into Canada started getting charged a 25% retaliatory surtax on certain U.S.-made goods they may have bought on their visit.

Inside …