Schumer: Tariffs UP, Tourism DOWN – and Upstate NY is Paying the Price; NEW DATA Shows Canadian Border Crossings Continue to Plummet as Trump Threatens to Further Increase Tariffs NEXT WEEK, Crossings...

Trump Is Threatening AGAIN To Raise Tariffs On Canada Up To 35% Next Week, And New Data Shows It Is Upstate New Yorkers’ Wallets & Small Businesses Paying The Price For These Threats & Insulting Comments To Our Neighbors To The North

Schumer Reveals New Data That Shows 376,000 Fewer Canadian Border Crossings Last Month Compared To Last Year’s Summer Tourism Season, Putting Billions For NY’s Main Streets And Local Jobs At Risk – Says We Must End This Ill-Conceived Trade War And Demands NY House Republicans Stand Up For Upstate NY

Schumer: Trump’s Tariff War Is Cratering Upstate NY’s Summer Tourism Economy, This Must Stop
As Trump proposes increasing tariffs on Canadian goods up to 35% next week, with the chaos from his ill-conceived and irregularly implemented trade war continuing, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer revealed new data showing border crossings continue to plummet at all major land ports of entry in New York. New data showsapproximately376,000 fewer travelerscrossed the Upstate NY-Canada border via land in June 2025 compared to June 2024, according to CBP, a more than 21% decrease.
“Across Upstate NY, tariffs are up and raising prices for families, and tourism is way down thanks to Trump’s impulsive, ill-conceived trade war. This new data shows how Trump’s tariffs and insults are driving our closest ally and key trading partner Canada away. Hurting Upstate NY’s summer tourism industry and leaving emptier Main Streets and stores paying the price,”said Senator Schumer.“Meanwhile, Trump is threatening to throw even more fuel on this fire, threatening to raise tariffs on Canada to a whopping 35% next week, which could burn Upstate NY’s tourism industry to the ground. From Buffalo to the Thousand Islands to Plattsburgh, and everywhere in between, Upstate NY can’t afford for Trump’s tariff chaos to continue. I am fighting back to give Upstate NY businesses the relief they need, and NY House Republicans should get off the sidelines and stand up for our Main Street shops, restaurants, and small businesses before it’s too late.”
According tonew data from CBP, Upstate NY and Canada saw approximately 1.4 million border crossings in June 2025, compared to 1.75 million during the same month in 2024, a 21.5% decrease across land (both road and bridge) crossings frequented by tourists. This follows a months-long trend since Trump took office of Canadian border crossings plummeting, meaning fewer tourists at NY’s hotels, shops, & restaurants. Nationally, border crossings have decreased from approximately 5 million to 3.9 million over the same period.
A breakdown bridge-by-bridge from the Bridge and Tunnel Operators Association of June 2025 crossings shows just how steeply tourism is declining across all the major bridge ports of entry between Upstate NY and Canada:
NY-Canada Bridge
Region
June 2024 Auto Crossings
June 2025 Auto Crossings
Percentage Decline
Peace Bridge
Western NY
450,836
382,448
-15.17%
Rainbow Bridge
Western NY
222,654
165,135
-25.83%
Lewiston-Queenstown Bridge
Western NY
254,200
238,694
-6.10%
Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
Western NY
38,378
27,252
-28.99%
Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge
North Country
51,083
37,378
-26.83%
Thousand Islands Bridge
North Country
192,476
165,057
-14.25%
Seaway Bridge
North Country
226,409
224,655
-0.77%
Since taking office in January, Trump has damaged the United States’ relationship with Canada by threatening to annex Canada and levying 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, and is nowthreatening even higher tariffs at 35%. Schumer saidCanadians are canceling trips to the United States because of Trump’s tariff war and threats to annex Canada as the 51ststate, hurting Main Street businesses that rely on a busy summer tourism season and are already slammed by higher prices.
Trump’s tariffs are raising costs for families, with households with lower incomes hit hardest because they tend to buy more goods in industries being tariffed. According to the Budget Lab at Yale, Trump’s tariffs are expected to cost families more than $2,700 every year. Americans are already seeing higher prices; In June 2025, pricesincreased by 2.7%compared to the previous year. With Trump’s threats of even higher tariffs, that means even higher costs for Upstate NY families and small businesses. In addition, with the threat of costs increasing even more, many families feel pressure to make big purchases this year, when prices are lower, but they are less financially prepared, and in some cases, taking on debt to do so.
Schumer continues to be one of the leading advocates in Congress to end this unnecessary, damaging trade war with Canada that is decimating Upstate NY’s economy, tourism, small businesses, and local jobs.
Schumer said ending this costly trade war is key to protecting American families from price increases and job losses as a result of tariffs on Canada.
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