B.C. border crossings to Washington hit another precipitous low | Daily Hive

David Buzzard/Shutterstock

The busy summer travel season is winding down, and recent B.C. border data indicates that British Columbians are continuing to choose destinations other than Washington state.

The Whatcom Council of Governments’ 2025 Changes in Border Volume data shows that in August 2025, the volume of southbound vehicles from B.C. to Washington state dropped by 39 per cent compared to the same period in 2024.

It’s the seventh consecutive month of decline, with an even further dip in southbound crossings from July 2025.

In the previous month, southbound B.C. vehicle travel over the Washington border saw a 28 per cent dip compared to July 2024.

Whatcom Council of Governments

The Whatcom Council of Governments’ data comprises vehicle volume from the Peace Arch, Pacific Highway, Lynden, and Sumas ports of entry.

The slowdown of B.C. to Washington state can be linked to U.S. President Donald Trump and his turbulent trade decisions regarding Canada, as well as his repeated threats against Canadian sovereignty.

Canadians are also wary of crossing the U.S. border, as they may have a higher chance of getting their phones and other electronic devices searched.

The latest data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reveal that 14,899 international travellers’ electronic devices were searched between April and June this year, up from 12,260 in the previous quarter. It’s also a significant spike from the previous highest number of devices (12,766) searched in 2022, between January and March.

Businesses just south of British Columbia are feeling the impact of the significant decline in summer visitors.

City of Bellingham

Fifty per cent of respondents to a joint survey by the Bellingham Chamber and Western Washington University’s Border Policy Research Institute said that the drop in Canadians crossing the border was damaging their businesses.

And 59 per cent of small businesses in the area that participated in the study also said that they relied on Canadian customers.

“Canadians make up 25 to 30 per cent of our total customer base,” commented a Bellingham small business owner. “We are missing at least half of those customers.”

Are you avoiding travel to the U.S. this year? Do you miss visiting Washington destinations, or prefer to explore within B.C.? Let us know in the comments or get in touch at vancouver@dailyhive.com.

With files from Simran Singh

You might also like:

Want to stay on top of all things Vancouver? Follow us on X