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Calgary Herald
8 hours ago
- Business
- Calgary Herald
How the trade war is turning into a tourism win for Canada
Article content Meanwhile, traffic was up for both domestic and non-U.S. international flights at Canada's largest airports in April, according to Statistics Canada's latest monthly data on air passenger travel. Article content Domestic traffic was up by 7.4 per cent to two million in April compared to the previous year. This modestly surpassed the 2019 pre-pandemic level by 1.5 per cent, Statistics Canada said. Article content In April, the number of passengers screened for international flights other than to the U.S. was 1.4 million — up 7.1 per cent over the same month in 2024, and sharply higher — up 19 per cent — than the pre-pandemic level posted in April 2019. Article content Americans are also visiting their northern neighbours less as trade tensions between the countries persist, with trips to Canada by U.S. residents declining for the third month in a row in April. Article content How could Canada benefit from the changes? Article content Article content Domestic searches on popular vacation sites have significantly increased in 2025, with internal data revealing Canadians' appetite for homegrown holidays. Article content Economic uncertainty and the weaker Canadian dollar have proved a silver lining for the tourism sector, the BDC said in a March report. While foreign visitors are important contributors to tourism in Canada, Canadians actually make up the biggest share of demand for tourism businesses at about 76 per cent, it said. Article content Abacus Data said its survey shows that 19 per cent of Canadians who have either changed or cancelled their visit to the U.S. have shifted to travelling to different locations within Canada instead. Article content The decline in flight bookings to the U.S. has driven some airlines to modify capacity for certain routes. Flair Airlines Ltd., for example, restarted some inter-Canadian routes earlier than planned this year due to the rise in local demand. Article content Article content Flight data released by OAG Aviation Worldwide Ltd. showed a 'collapse' in passenger bookings on flight routes between Canada and the U.S., dropping by more than 70 per cent in every month through to the end of September 2025. Article content Domestic travellers aren't the only ones favouring Canada. French hotel group Accor SA, which owns 57 brands including Fairmont and Novotel, said Canada is gaining traction as a tourist destination as travellers increasingly avoid the U.S. for holidays. Article content Desjardins principal economist Sonny Scarfone said in a June report that increased domestic tourism could act as a stabilizing force by offsetting weaker performance in industries that are more exposed to U.S. trade. Canada has traditionally recorded a travel services trade deficit, but this trend recently reversed, he said. Article content 'When Canadians redirect their vacation budgets to the local economy, the positive ripple effect extends well beyond the tourism sector itself,' he wrote. Article content Scarfone said that given the current geopolitical climate and relatively weak loonie, Canada has the opportunity to further improve its travel trade balance in the coming quarters by encouraging domestic tourism and attracting more international visitors. Article content Focusing on Quebec, he said that if half of the province's residents who plan on cancelling their trips to the U.S. were to redirect their spending domestically, the resulting boost — factoring in indirect economic effects — could add an estimated $900 million to Canada's GDP. Article content TD Economics expects tourism spending in Canada to grow in the range of two to four per cent in 2025. Article content While American spending is set to drag on the overall tally this year, with cross-border spending projected to decline by five to 10 per cent, domestic spending at home will offset much of that, TD economist Anusha Arif said in a June 26 note. Article content Arif said that while hard data is still sparse, early indicators of travel within Canada are encouraging. According to a survey by TD Bank Group, 64 per cent of Canadians plan to travel domestically. Article content She said growth in spending by domestic and non-U.S. international visitors is likely to deliver an overall net increase of $2 to $4 billion in overall tourism spending for 2025. Propelled by these tailwinds, Canada's tourism sector could hold up far better than what otherwise would be the case in 2025, Arif added.<
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Opinion: Canada's wild is calling and RVing is the perfect adventure
The sound of birds chirping on a crisp morning breeze. Twigs cracking beneath your feet. The soft trickle of a creek weaving its way through the forest. A glimpse of a moose in the distance. Mist lifting off a turquoise glacial lake ahead. These aren't scenes from a postcard or a movie set — they're everyday moments for those who explore Canada by RV. RVing is more than a way to travel. It's a way of moving through the world — for those who crave freedom and wanderlust, seek a deeper connection with nature and our country, who yearn to slow down and savour the simpler things. It's why 14 per cent of Canadian households own an RV. But these experiences aren't reserved just for RVers — they're for anyone looking for a way to travel that's affordable, enriching and profoundly Canadian. Lately, something remarkable has been happening. Canadians are turning their gaze inward. Recent reports show a noticeable decline in Canadian travel to the U.S., not merely because of logistics or exchange rates but by choice. Out of quiet defiance. In fact, a recent study by Abacus Data found nearly half of Canadians who are steering clear of the U.S. are doing so to support Canadian businesses and destinations. Even within the RV community, we're seeing a shift: more RVers are trading cross-border travel to explore destinations here at home. Snowbirds are cancelling their annual trips south of the border to spend more time travelling across their own country. RVing is reclaiming what it means to truly see this country, not just fly over it. This isn't just a silver lining of uncertain times. It's something deeper. It's a quiet declaration of who we are as Canadians. We're not just avoiding U.S. travel — we're vowing to embrace what our own backyard has to offer. It's why the federal government introduced the Canada Strong Pass, offering free access to national parks this summer. Five years ago, summer vacations looked a lot different. Limited to where and how we could travel, a record number of Canadians turned to RVing for the first time. It was a welcome opportunity for Canadians to get a taste of what it has to offer. Today, we're seeing a similar opportunity in front of us — only this time, driven by choice and not necessity. A chance for Canadians to choose Canada first. A chance to live their wildhood. And I hope many choose RVing again, too — like all of those who embraced the lifestyle over the years and continue to cherish it to this day. If being patriotic, supporting local businesses and stretching your dollar are top of mind, RVing is a standout option for anyone. Whether you're tracing the Icefields Parkway, camping on Newfoundland's rocky shores or winding along the Cabot Trail, there's no shortage of great Canadian experiences across the vast and diverse wonderland that is Canada. And along your journey, you'll be supporting local businesses, connecting with our heritage and celebrating the boundless beauty of our country. As we embrace the official start of summer, now is the perfect time to plan your first (or next) RV trip. Check out for all the resources and trip guides you need to inspire your Canadian summer adventure. Let's choose the open road this summer. Let's choose Canada. After all, this is our country to discover, and the best way to do that is with the wind in our hair, the wheels on the road and the vast beauty of Canada unfolding before us. Chris Mahony has been president of Go RVing Canada since 2012.
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Opinion: Canada's wild is calling and RVing is the perfect adventure
Article content The sound of birds chirping on a crisp morning breeze. Twigs cracking beneath your feet. The soft trickle of a creek weaving its way through the forest. A glimpse of a moose in the distance. Mist lifting off a turquoise glacial lake ahead. Article content These aren't scenes from a postcard or a movie set — they're everyday moments for those who explore Canada by RV. Article content Article content RVing is more than a way to travel. It's a way of moving through the world — for those who crave freedom and wanderlust, seek a deeper connection with nature and our country, who yearn to slow down and savour the simpler things. It's why 14 per cent of Canadian households own an RV. But these experiences aren't reserved just for RVers — they're for anyone looking for a way to travel that's affordable, enriching and profoundly Canadian. Article content Lately, something remarkable has been happening. Canadians are turning their gaze inward. Recent reports show a noticeable decline in Canadian travel to the U.S., not merely because of logistics or exchange rates but by choice. Out of quiet defiance. Article content Article content In fact, a recent study by Abacus Data found nearly half of Canadians who are steering clear of the U.S. are doing so to support Canadian businesses and destinations. Article content Even within the RV community, we're seeing a shift: more RVers are trading cross-border travel to explore destinations here at home. Snowbirds are cancelling their annual trips south of the border to spend more time travelling across their own country. RVing is reclaiming what it means to truly see this country, not just fly over it. Article content This isn't just a silver lining of uncertain times. It's something deeper. It's a quiet declaration of who we are as Canadians. We're not just avoiding U.S. travel — we're vowing to embrace what our own backyard has to offer. It's why the federal government introduced the Canada Strong Pass, offering free access to national parks this summer. Article content Article content Five years ago, summer vacations looked a lot different. Limited to where and how we could travel, a record number of Canadians turned to RVing for the first time. It was a welcome opportunity for Canadians to get a taste of what it has to offer. Article content Today, we're seeing a similar opportunity in front of us — only this time, driven by choice and not necessity. A chance for Canadians to choose Canada first. A chance to live their wildhood. And I hope many choose RVing again, too — like all of those who embraced the lifestyle over the years and continue to cherish it to this day. Article content If being patriotic, supporting local businesses and stretching your dollar are top of mind, RVing is a standout option for anyone. Article content Whether you're tracing the Icefields Parkway, camping on Newfoundland's rocky shores or winding along the Cabot Trail, there's no shortage of great Canadian experiences across the vast and diverse wonderland that is Canada. And along your journey, you'll be supporting local businesses, connecting with our heritage and celebrating the boundless beauty of our country. Article content As we embrace the official start of summer, now is the perfect time to plan your first (or next) RV trip. Check out for all the resources and trip guides you need to inspire your Canadian summer adventure.
CTV News
30-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
More Canadians feel pride in national identity, especially younger people: survey
A new survey on the eve of Canada Day shows more Canadians are taking pride in their country this year, especially those aged 18 to 29. The Abacus Data survey shows 68 per cent of Canadians are expressing pride in their national identity, compared to 66 per cent in 2024. Eddie Sheppard, vice-president of Abacus Data, described the year-to-year results as stable with a modest bump. 'But I think when you look at the past 12 months and the uncertainty, the unpredictability, the instability, political change, housing pressures, affordability... despite all that, Canadians remain proud to be Canadian in large numbers,' said Sheppard. 'It shows that people really have a positive outlook on the future of the country. They value the beauty, the landscape, the history, the culture.' The survey reports Canadians aged 60 and over have the highest level of national pride at 83 per cent, while Canadians aged 30 to 44 have the lowest at 59 per cent. The most dramatic shift in national pride occurred in Canadians aged 18 to 29, landing at 62 per cent (a 13-point increase from 2024 when 49 per cent of this age group felt the same). Overall, the survey found Canadian pride is largely driven by the country's natural beauty (65 per cent), its stature as a peaceful and safe society (62 per cent), its universal health-care system (60 per cent), and its distinct identity on the international stage (56 per cent). The survey also asked respondents about national challenges with 53 per cent each citing political difference and economic struggles as top concerns. The survey was conducted with 1,500 Canadian adults from June 17 to 19 and weighted according to census data to match Canada's population according to age, gender, educational attainment, and region. The margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size is +/- 2.53 per cent, 19 times out of 20.
Canada News.Net
24-06-2025
- Business
- Canada News.Net
2/3 of Canadians Give Clean Energy Higher Priority, 3/4 Want Climate Policy Linked to EU's
With Prime Minister Mark Carney pledging to develop all forms of energy, both clean and conventional, two-thirds of Canadians want the federal government to prioritize clean, and three-quarters want Canadian climate policy aligned with Europe rather than the United States, according to new public opinion data released this week by Clean Energy Canada. The research by Abacus Data found that, assuming both were priorities, 67% of Canadians "would generally favour clean energy projects such as critical minerals, renewable power and transmission, and energy storage," Clean Energy Canada explains. "The remaining 33% would prefer conventional fossil fuel projects like oil and gas, including [liquefied natural gas] development." View our latest digests Among the 2,585 Canadians who took place in an online panel between June 2 and 5, 87% said clean energy will be "very" or "pretty" important, and 83% said the same of fossil fuels. Some 45% said clean energy would be "very" important, compared to 36% for fossil fuels. The research uncovered overwhelming support-a margin of 76 to 24%-for shifting Canadian climate policy to align more with Europe, rather than the United States. And "as Canadians face another summer of wildfires, support for continued climate action remains extremely strong, with only 14% of Canadians saying the federal government should do less to combat climate change and transition the country to clean energy," Clean Energy Canada writes. But while a large plurality of respondents, 44%, wanted Canada to do more on climate, 41% said governments are doing about the right amount. The European Union is currently far ahead of Canada in its efforts to drive down climate pollution and shift to renewable energy technologies, and analysts have pointed out that Canada would be by far the biggest per capita emitter in any new trade relationship with the EU. The Abacus research also found that Canadians support building new homes with lower-carbon, sustainable materials by a margin of 64 to 15%, while 70% definitely or likely want to see EV hookups and heat pumps in new homes as long as the cost is minimal. "It's easy to wonder whether views on important issues have shifted as Trump, tariffs, and national security dominate headlines and the worried minds of Canadians," Clean Energy Canada Director of Communications Trevor Melanson said in an online statement. "And yet the consensus on climate action and the transition to clean energy remains overwhelmingly positive. What's more, as Canada forges stronger trade relationships with the likes of Europe and Asia, we may see a growing economic and values alignment with jurisdictions that are all-in on clean energy."
