Canada-U.S. travel

British Columbia (Rajeev Sharma)–Washington border crossings saw a sharp rise at the start of 2025, but the momentum quickly reversed, leading to steep declines that are now hurting businesses in U.S. border communities. Data shows that in January 2025, the number of B.C.-registered vehicles entering Washington state increased by 10 per cent compared to the previous year. At the time, experts described the surge as part of a broader post-pandemic recovery. Laurie Trautman from Western Washington University’s Border Policy Research Institute said the growth reflected Canadians returning to pre-COVID travel habits. “We had been on an upward trajectory month over…