Canadian road trips to U.S. plunge for seventh straight month

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Road trips to the U.S. decreased for a seventh straight month as Canadians ramped up their American boycott.

Canadian-resident return trips by automobile from the neighbouring U.S. slumped 36.9% in July from a year ago, Statistics Canada data showed Monday.

Return trips by air from the U.S. also slid 25.8%, while those from other countries grew 5.9% as Canadians travelled elsewhere.

The drop in U.S. travel underscores Canadians’ resentment toward their southern neighbour, who is their biggest trading partner and was once their favourite vacation destination.

While the Canadian economy has appeared to avoid the worst recessionary outcomes, industries exposed to President Donald Trump’s tariffs like steel and autos are reeling.

Concerns have also grown in Canada that visitors to the U.S. may be caught up in Trump’s immigration crackdown.

Amid the strain in the relationship, some Americans also appear to be avoiding Canada, but to a lesser extent. The number of U.S. car trips to Canada fell 7.4% in July from a year ago.

Air arrivals from the U.S., however, rose 0.7%, and those from other countries jumped 5.6%.