In La Conner, the summer sun still sparkles off the Swinomish Channel, and Main Street still buzzes with day-trippers in floppy hats. But this year, something’s missing: Canadians.
While the town remains a favored getaway for Puget Sound residents, business owners and the local Chamber of Commerce have observed a marked decline in Canadian tourism since early 2025. With tariffs, border delays, and political posturing in the mix, La Conner’s small businesses are navigating a shift in who walks through their doors — and how often.
Tally sheets and trendlines
At the La Conner Chamber of Commerce, Executive Director Mark Hulst has been tracking visitor origins the old-fashioned way: tally marks on a sheet of paper.
“We’ve been doing the same study for years,” Hulst said. “You start to see patterns. And this year, one of the patterns is what’s missing: Canadians.”
The change was swift. After former President Donald Trump announced on Feb. 27 that he would impose 25% tariffs on Canadian imports if reelected — and suggested Canada should become the U.S.’s 51st state — Canadian tourism dried up. Hulst recorded only seven visitors to the chamber in April. Last year, he saw 113.
But June was a much more optimistic story. La Conner had 220 Canadian visitors compared to last year’s 237.
“It goes from basically almost nothing to seeing our Canadian visitors come through,” Hulst said. “It’s a trend that I hope continues.”
Tariffs, pride, and policy fallout
The fallout wasn’t just political — it hit wallets. The Canadian government followed through with retaliatory 25% tariffs, turning once-affordable shopping trips into expensive errands.
“Every nation has national pride, and theirs was threatened,” Hulst said of Canadian travelers’ reaction to the 51st-state comment. “That’s what we’ve been hearing from the Canadians who still stop in.”
More than tariffs, Hulst said the real sticking point may be the hassle of crossing the border.
Of the dozen La Conner businesses we spoke with, about half mentioned border delays and headaches as a major deterrent. One merchant shared an email from a long-time Canadian customer: “See you in four years.”
Economic uncertainty casts a shadow
“If you look at the overall economy, everything is up in the air,” Hulst said. “There’s an uncertainty hanging over everything. From an economic standpoint, people tend to tighten up on spending when that happens.”
Still, not all the news is bleak. Hulst also owns Skagit Cellars, and he says sales are up 6% over last year. “I feel like things are starting to turn.”
Merchants adapt and endure
Other La Conner business owners have reported mixed experiences.
Alan Darcy, owner of Two Moons Gallery and Gift, has watched traffic decline in his 28 years downtown. Last week, two Canadians came in — one a loyal customer, one a newcomer.
“What’s remarkable is that that was remarkable,” Darcy said. “The number of Canadian visitors is way, way off. We just try to give way better service so anyone who does come here loves La Conner.”
John King, owner of Trumpeter Jewelry, said Seattle and Bellevue tourists now make up the majority of his clientele. He estimated an 80% drop in foot traffic since last year, which itself was lower than the previous years. “Traffic has dropped significantly from the early pandemic years” when stir-crazy Seattleites rushed north for day trips, he said.
Christie Jerkovich, owner of Step Outside, La Conner’s long-running “destination shoe store,” agrees there’s been a dip in Canadian traffic. “But we’re still seeing people from Seattle and the Eastside,” she said.
Celebrating 21 years in business this month, Jerkovich said factors like currency exchange play a steady role. “The strength of the U.S. dollar versus the weakness of the Canadian dollar is an ongoing factor,” she noted.
Stephanie Banaszak of Erth played down the tension between the countries. “Weekly, I have Canadians come here. They don’t have animosity toward us. They understand it’s the government,” she said. Her business is relatively new — just over a year and a half old — and she said it’s on track for sales this year.
Looking forward with measured optimism
At Bunnies by the Bay, Jenny Gambill reported solid Fourth of July weekend traffic: 50 customers on Saturday, 30 on Sunday.
“In previous years, my busiest days were in the sixties. It was every weekend from the Tulip Festival into July,” she said. “This year, it was much slower during the Tulip Festival. We still had some good days, but it was not the turnaround we had after COVID. That year, we were packed.”
Gambill said she’s heard about the new tariffs from customers — and experienced them firsthand. “I’ve even received invoices after shipping to Canada for significant sums. The tariff situation is a strain, and no one is really aware of it.”
Still, she remains hopeful: “I’m feeling better about it. I hope it keeps steady like this.”
Kari Mar is editor and publisher of La Conner Community News.
