Significant Decrease in Travel: Over 30,000 Fewer Crossings from Eastern Ontario Borders into the U.S. in May
Cross-Border Chaos: A 29,332-Drop in Travellers from Eastern Ontario to NY
Looking at the stats, May 2025 marked a massive plunge of travellers entering the United States at the main border crossings from eastern Ontario to New York. The numbers dropped from a recorded 166,248 in May 2024 to 136,916 in 2025, amounting to a staggering drop of nearly 29,332 total conveyances.
This trend seems to be sticking around.Travel from Canada to the States saw a decrease of 25,000 fewer crossings at the three eastern Ontario border points in April, a fall of nearly 23,000 in March, and a decrease of 16,000 in February. The only month that bucked this trend was January, with a slight increase of over 3,000 more crossings compared to the previous year.
The Thousand Islands Bridge suffered the most, with a whopping 15,785 fewer trips in May 2025 compared to 2024. Cornwall, Ontario, and the Massena, New York crossing recorded 6,312 fewer trips in 2025 than in 2024. And Prescott, Ontario, to Ogdensburg, New York trips dropped by an astounding 7,235.
Customs and Border Protection estimates that this translates to a loss of over 65,000 total travellers across all conveyances at the three eastern Ontario land border crossings. The total number of travellers crossing by land at all U.S. ports of entry between Canada and the U.S fell by an eye-popping 1.1 million in May 2025 compared to May 2024.
Data from Statistics Canada reveals that 67,468 Canadian-plated vehicles entered Canada at the Cornwall, Lansdowne, and Prescott border crossings in May 2025. This is a staggering 26.5% decrease from May 2024, which recorded 91,790 vehicles.
The Customs and Border Protection data doesn’t specify the origins of the conveyances and includes passenger vehicles and trucks. With that being said, many Canadians have allegedly been avoiding travel to the States, due to statements by President Donald Trump about making Canada a “51st state” and broader safety concerns at the border.
So, if you're planning a trip Stateside from eastern Ontario, better buckle up for a wild ride - it seems the border's been a bit more bustling than it has been the past few months.
Amid the dropping travel numbers, the news of fewer trip conveyances from Canada to the United States has been a forefront topic. In particular, lifestyle choices featuring travel seems to have been impacted, with a significant decrease in travelers at the Thousand Islands Bridge, Cornwall, Ontario, and the Massena, New York crossing, and Prescott, Ontario, to Ogdensburg, New York, due to increased border concerns and political statements.
