Bellingham, Wash., council pens letter to B.C. cities amid
cross-border tensions
Courtney Dickson
| CBC News | Posted: May 28, 2025 12:44 AM | Last Updated: May
28
Letter comes as tariff tensions slow cross-border traffic, with
B.C. vehicles not heading south in numbers
Image | TARIFFS
Caption: A U.S. border town has penned a letter to B.C. cities
emphasizing the importance of cross-border connection. (Ben
Nelms/CBC)
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The mayor and council in an American city have penned a letter
expressing a "commitment" to their "connection" with Canada
amid ongoing tensions between the neighbouring countries.
Bellingham, Wash., has long been a popular tourism destination
for British Columbians looking to do a little shopping south of
the border, with the town of around 90,000 people located 30
kilometres south of the border.
But since U.S. President Donald Trump started threatening and
imposing tariffs on Canada and travellers have reported being
detained at the border, there's been a notable drop in visitors
heading south in recent months, according to Statistics Canada.
Recent data from border crossings in B.C.'s Lower Mainland
shows the number of vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading
south in April 2025, compared to the previous April, is down 51
per cent.
Embed | U.S.-bound border traffic dropped significantly in
April 2025 for B.C. vehicles
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Now, a letter signed by Bellingham city council president
Hollie Huthman and Mayor Kim Lund says the city hopes the
"peaceful partnership" between Canada and Bellingham will
continue.
"Though we live in separate nations, we share longstanding,
collaborative relationships with the Indigenous communities
that have lived in harmony with the land and the water for
thousands of years," the letter reads in part.
"We share the same responsibility for the families who have
come to depend on generations of uninterrupted, cross-border
transportation and commerce."
Image | TARIFFS COMMERCIAL TRUCK BORDER CROSSING
Caption: Commercial trucks are pictured at the U.S.-Canada
border crossing near Blaine, Wash., on March 4. Bellingham is
around 33 kilometres southeast of Blaine. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
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Huthman told CBC News that she, herself, is the owner of a live
music venue called the Shakedown, and that she was being told
by Canadians that they couldn't visit right now, even though
they loved her place.
"The ability of bands to cross the border and that cultural
exchange of music — it's become even harder," she said. "It was
already hard, and it's become harder. And that's really
unfortunate."
WATCH | U.S. woman asks for cross-border compassion:
Media Video | On The Coast : U.S. woman who frequents B.C. says
human connection needed amidst tariff turmoil
Caption: CBC’s On The Coast heard from an American listener,
who lives just south of the B.C. border in Washington state, on
the importance of approaching international relations on a
"personal" level. Suzanne Wheeler said she comes to Vancouver
every Wednesday to listen to live music at Frankie's Jazz Club.
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At an April 28 Bellingham council meeting, Coun. Michael
Lilliquist said the purpose of the letter is not to outline the
economic importance of Canada.
"It's a more personal message to fellow jurisdictions, kind of
just renewing at a more cultural and personal level that we're
still your neighbours, we still value you, we still want to
work with you," he said.
According to a spokesperson for the City of Bellingham, the
letter was sent to nine Lower Mainland communities on May 21.
Image | BELLIS FAIR MALL
Caption: The Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham, Wash., had tour
buses regularly line up to allow cross-border tourists to shop
there. (Google Street View)
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Langley mayor unconvinced
Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward said that while he hasn't
received the letter as of yet, he understands why Washington
state communities would be trying to reaffirm the relationship
between the state and the province.
"Canadians have been crossing the border for generations,
supporting American businesses and participating in one of the
largest open borders in the world," he said.
But he said the message doesn't speak to him on a personal
level.
"My personal opinion is that the American government and the
American establishment essentially decided that it wants to
change the nature of the relationship."
Image | METRO VANCOUVER MAYORS ERIC WOODWARD LANGLEY
Caption: Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward says he's
personally unmoved by the letter. (Ben Nelms/CBC)
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Woodward said he, like many other Canadians, is planning to
spend his money and vacation time in Canada.
Bellingham isn't the first jurisdiction to acknowledge the
tension and hope Canadians will return to American travel; in
mid-April, California Governor Gavin Newsom urged Canadians to
visit the Golden State's sandy beaches and wine country.
Point Roberts, Wash., has appealed to B.C.'s humanity for
support — if a trade war gets out of hand, leaders aren't sure
the community would survive.
* California governor urges Canadians to ignore Trump, come
back for sand, sun and wine
* Instead of travelling to Seattle to watch the Blue Jays,
some B.C. baseball fans are staying home
But Woodward said Bellingham should look elsewhere for support.
"Bellingham should potentially look to Montana and maybe Oregon
for those people to come up and support them, and not Canada."
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