- Published
Prior to US President Donald Trump's re-election, Kent Truscott and his family, from London, Ontario, had taken multiple trips south of the border, including to California and most recently New York in 2023.
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Truscott → publish → 2023
But since late 2024, "my family and I have completely decided to boycott the United States", he told BBC.
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he → decide → BBC
That meant cancelling a trip last spring to Texas to watch the SpaceX Starship launch with his brother.
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That → mean → brother
The two had planned to fly down from Toronto, rent a car and stay a week to watch the launch, likely spending "thousands of dollars".
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two → plan → dollars
Truscott and his wife decided to spend that money in Canada instead – the Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, to be exact.
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Truscott → decide → Scotia
Their decision is a response to US tariffs and the president's comments about annexing their country.
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decision → annex → country
More than a year after Trump's return to the White House, many Canadians like Truscott are still holding firm on their boycott on travel to the US.
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Canadians → hold → US
Even with a slight uptick in road trips to the US in April, Canadians made 800,000 fewer trips that month compared to the same time in 2024, before Trump was elected, according to national data.
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Trump → make → data
The boycott has meant a loss of about C$3.3bn ($2.35bn; £1.75bn) in travel revenue for the US last year - money that Canadians have instead chosen to spend overseas or exploring their own country.
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Canadians → mean → country
That financial void has been felt by a number of American cities and states, who have urged Canadians to return through targeted advertisements and special deals.
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who → feel → advertisements
In July, New York City's tourism board said it will offer Broadway tickets and hotel rooms to Canadian tourists at a 30% discount.
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it → say → discount
The BBC spoke to a few Canadians about why they have chosen to avoid the US, where they have gone instead and what it would take for them to return.
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them → speak → what
Not everyone is driven solely by Trump's treatment of Canada, with some noting that the declining Canadian dollar has also made the US less affordable.
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US → drive → Canada
But many say they feel their country's relationship with the US has hit a breaking point, and that it would take a lot for them to return, if at all.
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them → say → lot
Trading Texas for Atlantic Canada
Once they decided to vacation in Atlantic Canada, Kent Truscott and his wife embraced the idea of discovering their own country.
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Truscott → trade → country
They rented a vehicle, hiked the scenic Cabot Trail and stayed at a resort on the Atlantic Ocean run entirely by women.
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They → rent → women
"I had the best halibut dinner in my life, caught by someone that morning out on the bay," he recalled.
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he → have → bay
He added that he was unsure when he would return to the US again.
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he → add → US
"There has been a fundamental break," Truscott said, noting anti-immigration raids and other Trump policies that he does not agree with, as well as the president's rhetoric and actions against Canada.
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he → say → Canada
"As much as I would like to say that when Donald Trump leaves everything will go back to normal, well, 70 million people voted for it," he said.
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he → like → it
A cancelled cruise through the Panama canal
Lynda Rousseau and her husband Joe had lived in Texas for 19 years prior to retiring in their home country of Canada.
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Rousseau → cancel → Canada
Their move back was scheduled for last summer, but was pushed earlier to February 2025 because of their anger over Trump's re-election.
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move → schedule → election
"We just couldn't stand the idea of living there while he was running things," Rousseau, who now lives in Ottawa, said.
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who → stand → Ottawa
She and her husband then decided to boycott the US altogether after Trump began calling Canada "the 51st state" and its former prime minister, Justin Trudeau, "governor".
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Trump → decide → Canada
That summer, the couple cancelled a cruise that was due to depart from New York City and go through the Panama canal.
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that → cancel → canal
Instead, they rebooked with the same company on a different cruise through Rome and Barcelona, where Rousseau said they enjoyed exploring ancient ruins and eating delicious food.
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they → rebooke → food
"I mean it's not New York's fault... but Trump is in charge of it all, and so it all takes a hit," Rousseau said.
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Rousseau → mean → hit
The couple, who are dual US and Canada citizens, had also scrapped their plans of becoming "snowbirds" – a term used to describe Canadians who spend the cold winter months in warm US states like Florida and Arizona.
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who → scrap → Florida
They now only cross the border occasionally to pick up their mail and come back, Rousseau said, avoiding spending any money while there.
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Rousseau → cross → money
Rousseau added that she mourns the loss of convenience of being able to drive and spend time in the US, which can be much cheaper to visit than most overseas destinations due to sheer proximity.
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which → add → proximity
But through the boycott, she said she gained "a little more pride in Canada".
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she → say → Canada
The Vancouver retiree had stopped going on road trips to Seattle and to major US national parks with his children after the president was first elected in 2016.
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president → stop → 2016
He said he resumed his trips south of the border when Joe Biden took over, but is now back to avoiding the US, especially after seeing many of his fellow Canadians boycott as well.
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many → say → Canadians
"Now we're just not even considering it," he said.
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he → consider → it
Smith has even avoided taking connecting flights through American cities to other destinations.
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Smith → avoid → destinations
Last autumn, he and his friends travelled to Mexico City and opted for a direct flight from Vancouver instead.
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he → travel → Vancouver
Earlier this year, he and his wife Sylvia travelled to Morocco for the first time, stopping through cities like Marrakech, Fez and Essaouira.
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he → travel → Marrakech
One of their favourite moments, he said, is experiencing the Muslim country during the month of Ramadan.
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he → say → Ramadan
"It was actually quite an interesting time to be there, and realising how important religion is to the people of Morocco and how seriously they take the fasting ritual," Smith said.
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Smith → realise → ritual
"We just don't have anything like that in Canada."
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We → have → Canada
…and 17 more, not listed.
