Trump-Era Tariffs Trigger a Canadian Boycott of U.S. Goods and Travel

During Donald Trump’s second term, the United States imposed new tariffs on Canadian-made products and heightened immigration enforcement at the U.S.–Canada border. The measures coincided with a policy push to treat Canada as a potential 51st state. In response, Canadian consumers and travelers sharply reduced purchases of American goods and trips to the United States.

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The tariff regime began after the change in the U.S. administration in early 2025, when “America First” policies were implemented. The administration also increased border immigration checks, which analysts linked to a broader anti-immigrant stance. Canadian officials and business groups have described the tariffs as ineffective at generating the promised revenue while raising costs for American consumers.

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• Bilateral trade fell by as much as $12.8 billion, a decline that exceeds the 2025 drop of $15.6 billion (about 25 %).

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• Canadian travel to the United States recorded the longest sustained decline since 1972, with return trips falling for 11 consecutive months.

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• Tourism from Canada to U.S. cities such as Las Vegas fell from 17 % of international visitors to 7.5 %.

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• Overall Canadian tourism to the United States contracted 42 % during Trump’s second term, according to University of Toronto data released in May.

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• The reduction in foreign visitor tourism is estimated to cost the U.S. economy roughly $8 billion.

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• Meanwhile, American outbound travel rose 80 % compared with the prior year.

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The same report highlighted that the tariffs have not delivered the expected fiscal gains and have instead increased grocery prices for U.S. consumers.

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• “We used to be a country that others wanted to emulate. That narrative no longer exists,” — Juliette Kayyem, faculty chair of the Homeland Security Project at the Harvard Kennedy School.

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