🇨🇦 Canadians Stopped Going to America and the Federal Government Cannot Be Bothered to Help

Canadian trips to the United States dropped 28 per cent in 2025 — from 31.9 million to 22.9 million — and the carnage continues into 2026. Land border duty-free shops, which can only sell to customers heading into America, have been gutted. Simon Resch's Emerson Duty Free in Manitoba went from 35 employees in 2019 to four today, with monthly revenue down 30 to 50 per cent and total losses since 2019 hitting 75 per cent, as documented in detail. One store — Woodstock Duty Free, 30 years in business — already closed.

During COVID, these businesses accessed wage subsidies, rent subsidies, and forgivable loans. Today, with politicians actively encouraging Canadians to boycott American travel, the same government offers zero relief. Resch's verdict: they could not find worse partners than the federal government of Canada if they went looking. Mark Carney promised not to leave small businesses behind. The duty-free owners are holding him to that. Ottawa, so far, has not picked up the phone.

🍁 Maple Chronicles