Northern Ontario wilderness lodges continue to see American tourists, despite trade war

Jonathan Migneault · CBC News

· Posted: May 01, 2025 6:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 12 minutes ago

Canadians person been cancelling trips to the United States since U.S. President Donald Trump started a commercialized warfare betwixt some countries.

But hunting and sportfishing lodges successful bluish Ontario accidental they haven't seen an equivalent driblet successful American visitors.

In March, onshore borderline crossings from Canada to the U.S. dropped by adjacent to 1 cardinal travellers, compared to the aforesaid play past year, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Al Errington co-owns Errington's Wilderness Island, a lodge northbound of Wawa, that is lone accessible by interval plane.

In a emblematic season, helium said astir 95 per cent of his guests travel from the United States.

"We're precise accessible to the U.S. marketplace due to the fact that the I-75 that bisects the United States comes close up done Sault Ste. Marie," helium said.

Errington said radical question to the lodge from each implicit the U.S. to bask bluish Ontario's wilderness and to catch fish.

He said that truthful acold this year, bookings from American travellers are up compared to past season.

"Our clientele tends to beryllium much on the lines of radical who would not beryllium Trump fans though," helium said.

Errington said immoderate of his longtime clients person called to personally apologize for their country's governmental stance regarding Canada.

"They are precise disquieted astir it themselves, what the interaction of Trump is going to person connected their economy," helium said.

Errington said adjacent his guests who person voted for Trump person told him they disagree with his economical decisions connected tariffs.

More Canadian guests

Laurie Marcil is the enforcement manager of Nature and Outdoor Tourism Ontario, which lobbies for bluish Ontario's tourism industry.

She said that American bookings astatine hunting and sportfishing lodges crossed the portion person remained dependable erstwhile compared to past year. 

"We're proceeding of very, precise fewer cancellations," she said.

"And really, the cancellations are astir the uncertainty astir however they mightiness beryllium treated successful Canada erstwhile they get present and however they mightiness beryllium treated erstwhile they get backmost home. But I cognize that Canadians volition invited our American guests."

Marcil added that galore lodges successful bluish Ontario person seen an summation successful Canadian visitors arsenic radical walk their tourism dollars person to home.

"There's been a truly bully propulsion for radical to walk much clip outdoors, walk much clip with household and our lodges. And resorts and locations successful bluish Ontario truly supply that for folks," she said.