What to know
- A new Abacus Data poll found nearly one in four Canadians have opted out of travelling to the U.S. due to feelings about the Trump administration, a trend reflected in Statistics Canada data showing sharp drops in both vehicle and air return trips from the U.S. in late 2025.
- StatCan reported Canadian resident return trips by vehicle from the U.S. fell 28 per cent year-over-year in November 2025, while air travel dropped 12.1 per cent, even as overseas travel by Canadians increased 14 per cent during the same period.
- Some Toronto residents told Now Toronto they are intentionally avoiding travel to the U.S. for political, ethical, and economic reasons, choosing alternative destinations instead, with younger Canadians more likely to scrutinize peers who continue to vacation there.
Amidst a tense political climate in and around the U.S., some Canadians are continuing to avoid travelling to their neighbouring country.
In a recent poll conducted by Canadian polling firm Abacus Data, one in four Canadians said despite wanting to travel to the U.S., they decided against it specifically due to the Trump administration.
“Among those who have not travelled to the United States in the past 12 months, 34 per cent say they thought about going but ultimately decided against it because of their feelings about Donald Trump or how the United States is treating Canada,” stated the organization. “That works out to roughly 23 per cent of Canadian adults overall.”
Statistics Canada (StatCan) reported resident return trips from the U.S. by vehicle dropped by 28 per cent in November 2025, compared to the year prior. A majority of which were same-day trips.
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“The number of Canadian-resident return trips by air from the United States decreased 12.1 per cent compared with the same month a year earlier,” the agency stated.
Meanwhile, StatCan said travelling overseas by Canadians has seen a 14 per cent rise from November 2024 to November 2025.
Are Toronto residents travelling to the U.S.?
Some Torontonians have told Now Toronto they’ve been boycotting travel to the U.S. in the time being.
“I just feel like my dollar can be spent better elsewhere,” Olivia, a resident, said. “With all of the situation going on down there, I don’t feel like going.”
Olivia said the decision to avoid the U.S. solidified in early 2025 as government policies and climate shifted.
Instead, Olivia said she’s opting to travel to other regions.
“I’m planning to go to Europe instead, southeast Asia and within Canada as well,” she said.
Olivia said she’s also more conscious of her spending choices, focusing on buying Canadian products to ensure she isn’t supporting the U.S. economy.
Joel, a dual-citizen of both the U.S. and Canada says travelling there can be morally complicated.
“Any political differences we have is outweighed by the fact that I have family there,” he said. “I have kids who want to see their aunts and uncles and cousins.
Joel has noticed quite a difference in airport traffic in the last year or so when it comes to travelling south.
“It’s faster at the border,” he said. “Because there’s no line-ups, there’s not a lot of people going.”
Due to the current political climate, as well as the current ICE raids, Ray, another Toronto resident, has decided to avoid travelling to the U.S. for the time being.
“[I] just don’t want to be a part of it,” he said. “[I] just don’t want to look at all the travel precautions you have to take before you go there, so I’m out until things improve.”
Abacus Data also reported that 33 per cent of Canadians would think less of peers who continued to travel to the U.S.
The data suggested the likelihood of those polled who would scrutinize anyone travelling increased the younger the person was.
“Nearly half of those aged 18 to 29 say they would think less of someone close to them for vacationing in the United States,” Abacus Data stated. “That drops among those aged 30 to 44, falls further among those 45 to 59, and remains lower among those 60 and over.”
Ray said he sees a mix of friends and family travelling in and through the U.S.
“It’s shocking sometimes to me, but they have reasons to go there, family, business, otherwise I don’t understand,” he said. “For pleasure, I wouldn’t be doing it, but some people still are.”
Jessie, another Toronto resident, said there had been times where she was supposed to go to the U.S. but had changed her plans.
“There have been times where I was supposed to travel through the U.S. and I’ll [instead] go through other ways and make my extended layovers in other countries instead,” she said.
“I just think if there’s any way I can avoid what’s currently happening there, I’d rather spend my money in other economies than that one.”
