Whatcom County sees significant drop in Canadian spending, border communities hit hardest

WWU researchers detailed the impacts of declining Canadian visitors on local businesses in a new report.

My Bellingham NowDave WalkerThe Peace Arch near the Whatcom County-BC border crossing in Blaine.

WHATCOM COUNTY, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – New data is detailing how the drop in Canadian visitors has affected Whatcom County businesses.

Western Washington University’s Border Policy Research Institute (BPRI) released a collection of data charting the effect of cross border travel on the local economy.

They say there’s been a roughly 71% drop in Canadians who mainly enter Whatcom County to shop between 2019 and 2025.

According to BPRI, that’s caused an estimated $115 million loss in overall revenue for the county, which has a dire effect on the many critical services funded by the sales taxes.

The report also states that Canadians’ habits are changing, with more of their trips across the border being for recreation and family visits rather than shopping in recent years.

Bellingham has seen a moderate drop in Canadian visitors since 2019, while Blaine and Sumas have seen the most significant declines.

Notably, both those border communities have experienced major drops in their gas tax revenue, which means less funding for transportation projects.

Canadian visitation had started a post-COVID rebound before sharply reversing in 2025, which BPRI says reflects public sentiment about tariffs and broader geopolitical tension.