Canadians are cutting back sharply on trips to the United States this year, citing new border rules, safety concerns, and political tensions as reasons to stay closer to home. New research from the Angus Reid Institute finds that only about one-in-10 Canadians have made multiple trips south in the past 12 months, down from 19% in 2023 and 21% in 2017.The survey shows 70% of Canadians would feel uncomfortable travelling to the U.S. this winter, while 65% call new long-term visitor requirements —including fingerprinting and registration fees — “invasive.” Safety, political climate, and border treatment now outweigh cost or exchange rates as the main factors influencing travel decisions. Many see skipping U.S. trips as a way “to stand up for Canada,” with 69% of reduced travellers citing this reason..Despite these concerns, Canadians who have crossed the border report experiences consistent with previous years. About 85% described border crossings as good, unchanged from 2017 and 2023.Attitudes toward the U.S. as a travel destination have soured, with 77% of Canadians viewing it more negatively this year than in previous surveys. Frequent travellers are among the most skeptical, with 71% expressing a negative view.Canadians remain divided over whether Ottawa should impose similar fingerprinting and registration rules on Americans, with 42% supporting reciprocity and 39% opposing it.The findings suggest a growing chill in the Canada-U.S. relationship, as new policies and political tensions reshape the travel habits of even the most seasoned cross-border visitors.
