The North Country Chamber of Commerce says vehicle traffic at the Champlain border crossing is improving slightly.
The Chamber tracks data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection regarding car crossings into the United States. Following President Donald Trump’s statements that Canada should become the 51st state and his imposition of tariffs, many Canadians curtailed travel to the US. The latest numbers from January 2026 show that at the Champlain border north of Plattsburgh nearly 45,000 cars crossed versus nearly 55,000 in 2024, an 18% drop.
The chamber says the figures are an improvement over 2025 which experienced a monthly decline of nearly 30%.
Chamber President Garry Douglas says the numbers are moving in the right direction and "we are hopefully past the worst as we continue our special messaging to Canadians and our active partnership at all levels and at every opportunity."