Nearly 900,000 fewer people went to the U.S. in March as cross-border travel plummets [Video]

The number of cross-border travellers going from Canada to the U.S. dropped by nearly 900,000 in March compared to the same month last year, according to the latest U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data — easily one of the worst year-over-year drops recorded outside of the COVID-19 health crisis.

The border figures show 4,105,516 travellers crossed the U.S. northern border in March of this year, down from 4,970,360 people who did the same in 2024 — a roughly 17 per cent decline that observers say is largely driven by President Donald Trump’s trade war, 51st state taunts and Canada-bashing.

In a sign of just how much southbound travel cratered in recent weeks, more people made the trip from Canada to the U.S. in March 2022, when pandemic-related travel restrictions were still in place, than they did in the same month this year.

The decline is notable because March is typically one of the busiest months …