CANADA. In a development that adds further strain to Canada’s travel retail sector, Saskatchewan has recorded another decline in cross-border travel to the USA in April.
Citing data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), CBC News reported that just 27,000 travellers entered the USA last month through the 12 ports of entry along the Saskatchewan border, a -22% drop compared to the same period last year.
The downward trend in border crossings is seen as a reflection of the continued strain in US-Canada relations, with tensions escalating since January.
Calling it a “full-blown crisis”, Frontier Duty Free Association Executive Director Barbara Barrett highlighted the severe challenges facing border stores, including one at the North Portal–Portal crossing in Saskatchewan.
In response to this, the association has urged the Canadian federal government to step in and support the struggling duty-free retail sector, citing severe business declines at border stores – down between -40% and -50% – since US-Canada tensions flared earlier this year.
In an interview with The Moodie Davitt Report in April, Barrett noted some remote crossing stores in Eastern and Western Canada are reporting revenue declines of up to -80%. She also cited a recent industry survey, which found that about one-third of Canadian border shops could shut their doors within months if this trend continues.
Barrett, in line with her previous remarks to The Moodie Davitt Report, urged the need for “pandemic-level” financial support, citing wage and rent relief as essential to keeping duty-free businesses running. “Once we lose them, we’re not getting them back,” she cautioned.
While CBP data suggests a decline, CBC News highlighted Tourism Saskatchewan statistics indicating a year-on-year increase in US border crossings from January to March. Although numbers dipped slightly in April, the agency maintained that strong hunting and fishing opportunities continue to drive stable visitation. ✈
