More British Columbians choosing local spring break vacations amid U.S.-Canada tensions
Data shows 25 per cent decrease in B.C. cars heading south of border over past month
Michael Johal, a Delta, B.C., resident, has chosen to spend spring break at a beach resort in Parksville, north of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island.
"Staying in the country, saving our money, spending money locally, that's what we wanted to do," Johal told CBC News while boarding a ferry from Tsawwassen to Nanaimo with his wife and their two young sons.
"We don't want to go outside the country at all."
Johal said his decision stems from rising tensions between Canada and the U.S., as well as repeated threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to annex Canada as the 51st state.
It's a sentiment shared by others, including B.C. Premier David Eby, who recently cancelled a planned Disneyland trip with his family while also encouraging British Columbians to avoid travelling to the U.S.
Recent travel data suggests many people have been listening.
Fewer British Columbians heading south
Nearly 500,000 fewer travellers crossed the land border from Canada into the U.S. in February compared to the same month last year, according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The number of B.C. drivers heading south through the Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey has also dropped significantly this year, according to data from the Whatcom Council of Governments. A rolling 30-day average of crossings through the border shows about a 25 per cent decrease compared to 2024.
Drivers without a Nexus card, which allows expedited border clearance, have made up the most notable drop, down by 33 per cent. Nexus holders also crossed less frequently, but their decline was more modest at 16 per cent.
Meanwhile, traffic heading north from the U.S. into Canada has remained relatively stable.
A similar trend has been seen on the water. Mark Collins, CEO of FRS Clipper, which operates ferry routes between Seattle and Victoria, said travel from Canada to the U.S. has dropped by about 30 per cent since sailings for the year resumed in mid-February.
"For traffic originating from Seattle [coming to Victoria], it's pretty flat. Certainly no uptick but pretty much even with last year," Collins said.
He acknowledged Canadians' hesitation to visit the U.S. but hopes that once trade tensions ease, travel patterns will rebound.
"As long as this geopolitical situation continues, I think we will see soft traffic or a reduction in Canadians traveling south," he added.
Kelowna International Airport CEO Sam Samaddar said air ticket advance bookings from Canada to the U.S. have also slowed down.
"So much so that we are seeing our Canadian carriers either reducing frequency to certain U.S. destinations or ending some of the seasonal service to Las Vegas earlier than scheduled," he said in a statement to CBC News.
Local tourism sees a boost
At the same time, domestic travel is on the rise, according to Samaddar, with the Kelowna airport seeing a 10.6 per cent increase in passenger volumes in the first couple of months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
"We hosted the Brier early in March and have had a busy spring break so far, so I expect those numbers to continue to move in a positive direction," he said.
Vancouver Island, in particular, has been a popular spring break destination, said JJ Belanger, who is the chair of the Tourism Industry Association of B.C. and owner of a resort in Tofino.
"It seems like the Island is doing quite well for spring break," he said. "There just seems to be a sentiment—kind of like after COVID—that people are happy to stay within their own country and travel."
Belanger also cited the weak Canadian dollar as a factor keeping Canadians at home while also attracting American visitors.
"They see the value of the Canadian dollar being $0.69. And so, for them, coming to Canada is obviously a great value and a great vacation," he said.
In Victoria, Bill Lewis, chair of the Hotel Association of Greater Victoria, said hotel bookings for spring break have exceeded expectations, with a mix of domestic and U.S. visitors.
B.C. Ferries, meanwhile, said it is also seeing "higher-than-usual demand" this spring break. The company said it has made adjustments to accommodate the surge in passengers.
One of its vessels returned to service after months of repairs, just in time for the break, but another remains out of commission, affecting travel on the Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay-Langdale routes over the Easter weekend.
A long-term shift
For Johal, the decision to travel within Canada isn't just a one-time choice—he said it's a long-term shift.
Looking ahead to summer and beyond, he said his family will continue to explore local destinations.
"We're talking about going to Banff and then probably coming back to Parksville and perhaps Whistler," he said.
With files from Emily Fagan, Michelle Morton, Justin McElroy and Shaurya Kshatri