For the first time in at least five years, more U.S. travellers are visiting Canada than Canadians visiting the United States.
The new data reveals a rare travel shift: in July, more Americans drove into Canada than Canadians drove into the United States — a first in years.
According to a report by Statistics Canada, 1.8 million U.S. trips to Canada versus 1.7 million Canadian return trips south.
This marks the first July since before the pandemic where Canadian visits to the U.S. didn’t outnumber U.S. visits to Canada.
Travel in both directions fell year over year, with U.S. visits down 7.4% and Canadian return trips down 36.9%, marking six and seven consecutive monthly declines, respectively.
A variety of factors have contributed to this serious shift, including the new travel warning recently issued to U.S. citizens travelling to Canada, Canadians who just got slapped with a visa integrity fee to enter the U.S., the updated U.S. travel rules and safety advisories for Canadians travellers and (last but not least) anxiety around the border crossing.
Statistics Canada data from earlier this summer indicates a shift in Canadians’ travel patterns toward the United States in early 2025, though it remains uncertain whether this trend is temporary or long-term.
The Girl Guides of Canada recently suspended trips to the U.S. for an indefinite period, citing U.S. President Donald Trump’s tightened border control policies.
The organization said the move was made to ensure inclusivity and the safety of all members, noting that recent restrictions on equal entry could affect participants who hold citizenship from countries other than Canada.
When it comes to air travel, Canada has seen an increase in visitors, with 1.4 million non-residents arriving this July, up just over three per cent from the same time in 2024. While most of this growth came from overseas travellers, U.S. visitors by air also increased 0.7 per cent.
Overall, international arrivals to Canada are down 15.6 per cent from the same time last year, according to StatCan.
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