Border Policy Research Institute

Upcoming event!

The Future of Borders with Laurie Trautman and @edwardalden.bsky.social

Saturday, Feb. 7, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Whatcom Museum Rotunda Room, 121 Prospect St., Bellingham

Follow the link for more details 👉https://wcls.libcal.com/event/15670761

Guest Writer: Borders, tourists and the Trump travel effect | Cascadia Daily News What Canada felt in 2025, Europe feels in 2026

I've never canceled a long-planned European vacation before. But this month, I did.

So I've written about how belittling and threatening countries affects #tourism, both into the US and now heading out, in a @cascadiadaily.com guest commentary (free to read). www.cascadiadaily.com/2026/jan/26/...

Read our brief here:

Changes include:

👉 Increased biometric collection and digital requirements
👉Shifts in digital applications with population-specific mechanisms for travelers to process their exit and entry requirements
👉Removal of exemptions for certain types of Canadian travelers
👉Proposed changes to ESTA & I-94s

In the last year, changes in US border policy suggest a shift toward heightened securitization and more unilateral enforcement of the northern border, a departure from the integrated binational approach historically employed by Canada and the US to manage their ‘shared’ border.

📣 New publication alert!

Our new Brief highlights changes to US border policy – both proposed and implemented – that may ‘thicken’ the border crossing experience by increasing processing times, and potentially wait times for both Canadians and for non-Canadians traveling from Canada to the US.

Important to note that we were still recovering from the COVID years. Ex- In 2019, Canadians coming into Whatcom totaled 2.7mil vehicles. So 2024 was still below by about 300k vehicles compared to pre-pandemic levels.

As we enter 2026, there are many reflections to be made about the last year's shift in CB travel in our region. Border crossings from Canadians into Whatcom County in 2025 decreased 36% from the previous year. As with all our infographics, you can find them here 👉https://bpri.wwu.edu/infographics

If you want to hear our perspective on what we saw in terms of Canadian travel habits to Whatcom County in 2025 and how this is likely the new normal for 2026, see the CTV News interview below.

We're putting together a new survey, that aims to collect information on how businesses in Whatcom County are experiencing the fallout. We'd love to hear your perspective once it is released. We'll post on our socials and our website with the details later this month.

Dive deeper into the region's economic interconnections and the effects that tariffs, rhetoric threatening Canadian sovereignty, and the ongoing trade war between the US and Canada are having on WA border communities, please see BPRI's newest Border Policy Brief👇
cedar.wwu.edu/bpri_publica...

Cascadia has long been considered a model of strong cross-border collaboration, however, it is not immune to policy shifts or emerging challenges that could disrupt its long-standing relationships.

Please join us as Laurie Trautman, Ginny Broadhurst, @sharonshewmake.bsky.social, @uscanada-sands.bsky.social and Derek Moscato discuss how increased tensions are impacting our cross-border region
and the efforts to overcome them.

When: Online, June 11 at 4pm PT

foundation.wwu.edu/event/trust-...

We've been hearing about drops in Canadians crossing the border in the Cascade Gateway in 2025. The data tells us that we're seeing a significant drop in SB Canadian travelers so far.

This has numerous implications for our local border communities.

Take a look at BPRI's newest infographic below 👇

BPRI and the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce would like to track tariff impacts in our local community.

This survey is directed at businesses in Whatcom County to assess perceptions of tariffs, trade irritants, and changes to cross-border travel.
👇
wwu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

Upcoming World Issues Forum talk: The Island of Ireland after Brexit. Follow the link for more details 👇https://foundation.wwu.edu/event/island-ireland-after-brexit

@bpri.bsky.social director Dr. Laurie Trautman and CFR’s Edward Alden speaking about their new book at Village Books! @edwardalden.bsky.social

cross-border electricity between Canada and the US

If the trade war continues - and for how long - remains tbd. But the fact is- Americans flipping the lights on is connected to electricity production in a Canada. Border states and provinces are interconnected. This uncertainty impacts every aspect of daily life for many on both sides of the border.

In Quebec, premier François Legault did not exclude the option to cut off power as a response to the tariffs, a decision that would impact the equivalent of 1.23 million of US homes.

Ontario, which powered the equivalent of 1.29 million US homes in 2023, premier Doug Ford said that if #tariffs persist, he will impose a 25% surcharge on electricity exported to three US states - Michigan, New York and Minnesota - and is willing to fully shut down power lines going to the US.

Canada's #counter-tariffs response does not, at the moment, include export #tariffs on #energy. However, that doesn't mean there won't be impacts. The premiers of the two provinces supplying most of the electricity exported to the US are considering all options - including shutting off the power.

Every day, electricity crosses the #Canada-US #border. In 2023, Canada provided power equal to electricity consumption by 4.58 million homes. On Tuesday, Trump imposed a 10% tariff on energy imports from Canada, which will most likely translate to higher utility bills for these millions of home.

Not only that, but immediate direct and indirect impacts from #tariffs may also lower Boeing’s attractiveness, and in the longer run, give an advantage to its competitors, most notably Airbus, leading to potential additional job and revenue losses for Washington state and Quebec.

But tariffs impacts may also be indirect for the #aerospace industry: lower demand for travel especially from Canadians (whether as protest to the tariffs or due to lower value of the CAD) could impact orders, which in turn may limit future research and development opportunities.

Now with 25% #tariffs - and counter tariffs - this industry will face direct consequences. Additional tariffs on #steel and #aluminum as soon as next week will also compound price increases.

The third installment from our #BPRI #Trade infographic series focuses on #aerospace.

In Seattle & Montreal aerospace leads to economic growth and innovation. Just like cars in the Detroit-Windsor region, planes and parts are traded between us and allow us to travel around the world.

Here is our next infographic trying to provide some context for how the #tariffs and counter-tariffs might impact Washington's economy (and you if you like our craft brews!)

Very proud to see BPRI’s expertise contribute to this @apnews.com story on the regional implications of #tariffs in our various #borderland communities. @wwu.edu

infographic with facts and figures about raspberry trade in Washington

With what appears to be imminent #tariffs - and counter tariffs - there are some place-specific ways that we'll feel the squeeze. Here in the NW corner of Washington, raspberries are one of them. #BPRI will be releasing a series of these infographics to put some context to the numbers for #Cascadia

BPRI was happy to contribute to this upcoming edited volume, and it couldn't be more timely. BPRI specifically looked at #cross-#border regions along the CA-US border to contend that governance is at its strongest and most innovative at the #regional scale.