Canadians stopped traveling to the United States in 2025, and this trend is likely to continue in 2026, which is good news for
.
About three-quarters of Canadians said they are less likely to travel to the U.S. in 2026 due to concerns about political and trade tensions and poor exchange rates, according to a new survey from Blue Cross of Canada. This is a sharp increase from the previous survey conducted after
was elected president when 47 percent indicated the same.
Dislike of U.S. policies topped Canadians' list of concerns (50 percent), followed by weak trade and a weak economy.
However, people had other reasons to avoid the US, including concerns about problems crossing the border, fear of crime and “negative feelings” towards our neighbor to the south.
Among various demographic groups, “Boomers are particularly hesitant, with 54 percent canceling all U.S. travel plans in 2026,” up from 12 percent last year, Blue Cross said.
But the US's loss is obviously Canada's gain.
Of those who said they would avoid the U.S., 95 percent still plan to travel, with Canadian destinations being the best substitute for nearly seven in 10 of them, according to the travel insurance company.
There were also provincial and regional differences: Residents of the eastern provinces were most likely to abandon travel plans to the US and remain in Canada, while a third of Albertans said they planned to travel south of the border, the highest percentage among Canadians. Saskatchewan residents were the least likely to do so, according to the survey.
Other polls have also shown Canadians are choosing to travel at home and stay away from the US after Trump unleashed his
earlier this year.
For example, Statistics Canada reported that
were up 10.9 percent year over year in the second quarter, while U.S. visits fell 21.5 percent over the same period.
The agency also said the change in travel routes has been a boon for
while spending on domestic tourism increased by 13.5 percent.
founder of Rosenberg Research & Associates Inc., said the domestic travel trend is growing 250 basis points faster than the overall pace
(GDP).
He estimates the loss of nearly 850,000 trips by Canadians to the U.S. this year has led to three per cent year-on-year growth in Canada's hospitality, domestic leisure and air travel sectors.
Travel services “swinged” from a $51 million deficit three years ago to a $928 million surplus at the end of the summer, Rosenberg said, adding that while travel, tourism and hospitality accounts for five percent of GDP, it makes up about 20 percent of the “employment pie.”
He said Canada's successful domestic travel season was not a game-changer in terms of economic performance, but it did “turn the dial” on improving economic growth.
“Instead of insulting President Trump, Canadians should simply say, 'Thank you, sir!' – he said in the note.
The Blue Cross survey of nearly 2,000 Canadians who traveled in the past 12 months or planned to travel in the next 12 was conducted by Research + Knowledge = Insight. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus two percent in 19 out of 20 cases.
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Toronto-Dominion Bank, Bank of Montreal and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce comfortably beat analysts' fourth-quarter earnings expectations on Thursday despite economic uncertainty.
Their profits were largely driven by business segments such as capital markets, which help large companies raise funds and engage in activities such as trading, and wealth management, which is a financial service for people with significant assets.
All six of Canada's largest banks reported their results for the three months ended Oct. 31 this week. Their income provides insight into how the economy is performing, as does their provision for credit losses (PCL), the amount of money they set aside to deal with loans that could potentially go bad. —
Naeemul Karim, Financial Post
Read the whole story Here.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney, US President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum meet in Washington for the final draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. These three countries will host the event this summer.
- Today's data: Statistics Canada releases November jobs data; The US releases September data on personal income and spending, core personal consumption expenditure price index and the University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index.
- Today's income: Laurentian Bank of Canada, Victoria's Secret & Co.
- Equitable Bank parent company EQB to buy PC Financial from Loblaw
- Aritzia founder calls on Ottawa to end duty-free imports to help Canadian retailers compete at home
- What are “Trump Accounts” and could this idea help Canadian families invest and build wealth?
'This is the new slavery': Temporary farm workers are underpaid, abused and injured
Broken bones, rashes from pesticide exposure, unpaid labor, substandard housing. It's a price often paid by tens of thousands of migrants who come to Canada as temporary farm workers. Read the investigation
The 2025 tax season doesn't start until late February 2026, but by the time that date arrives, it will be too late to do any serious tax planning. That's why December is key for taxpayers looking for a few last-minute ways to save on their 2025 taxes. Here's something to think about during the remaining days of the year. Keep reading Jamie Golombek to find out.
.
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Today's Posthaste was written by Gigi Suchanichwith additional reporting by Financial Post, Canadian Press and Bloomberg staff.
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