Canadian snowbirds in Arizona express concern over trade tensions
YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — Trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada reached new heights Tuesday, as President Donald Trump first announced a plan to double tariffs on Canadian steel to 50%, only to later reverse course.
Canadian snowbirds, already uneasy about the U.S. trade policies, now feel even more uncertain about their travel and financial decisions.
Colleen Arseneault is a Canadian and has spent the past 16 winters in Yuma, but she says next year will likely be different. She said most likely she won’t be coming back to Arizona. She said it’s due to health reasons and the way tariffs are panning out.
President Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian imports. Additionally, a 25% tariff on all imported steel and aluminum is set to take effect Wednesday.
“There is a lot of uncertainty, a lot of unpredictability,” said Arseneault.
It’s leaving a lot of unanswered questions for the tourism industry, which heavily relies on Canadian visitors.
Bill Evans, manager of Palms RV Resort, said that about 40% of their visitors are from Canada. “This has been generational. We’re looking at the third generation of Canadians. We’re hopeful it will turn around, the rhetoric will settle down. Everyone will get into a groove,” said Evans.
Evans said they’ve already seen lower numbers this year because of the exchange rate for Canadians.
“It’s $1.40 for every U.S. dollar down here. So if they’re going to a show, that’s 20 U.S. dollars then. That’s a lot for them. So they have been very limited with their spending,” said Evans.
He said it could be devastating if Canadians choose not to visit next year. “What we don’t want to do is disturb that population so they hop over us and go down to Mexico instead of staying with us,” he said.
While Arseneault loves visiting Yuma every year, she said it’s not looking good for U.S.-Canada relations.
“It has definitely affected the vibe with a lot of Canadians, with a lot of Americans, with a lot of people,” she said.
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