Bellingham, Wash., council pens letter to B.C. cities amid cross-border tensions

The mayor and council in an American city have penned a letter expressing a commitment to their connection with Canada amid ongoing tensions between the neighbouring countries.

Bellingham, Wash., has long been a popular tourism destination for British Columbians looking to do a little shopping south of the border, with the town of around 90,000 people located 30 kilometres south of the border.

But since U.S. President Donald Trump started threatening and imposing tariffs on Canada and travellers have reported being detained at the border, there’s been a notable drop in visitors heading south in recent months, according to Statistics Canada.

Recent data from border crossings in B.C.’s Lower Mainland shows the number of vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading south in April 2025, compared to the previous April, is down 51 per cent.

Now, a letter signed by Bellingham city council  president Hollie Huthman and Mayor Kim Lund says the city hopes the peaceful partnership between Canada and Bellingham will continue.

Though we live in separate nations, we share longstanding, collaborative relationships with the Indigenous communities that have lived in harmony with the land and the water for thousands of years, the letter reads in part.

We share the same responsibility for the families who have come to depend on generations of uninterrupted, cross-border transportation and commerce.

Huthman told CBC News that she, herself, is the owner of a live music venue called the Shakedown, and that she was being told by Canadians that they couldn’t visit right now, even though they loved her place.

The ability of bands to cross the border and that cultural exchange of music — it’s become even harder, she said. It was already hard, and it’s become harder. And that’s really unfortunate.

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CBC’s On The Coast heard from an American listener, who lives just south of the B.C. border in Washington state, on the importance of approaching international relations on a personal level. Suzanne Wheeler said she comes to Vancouver every Wednesday to listen to live music at Frankie’s Jazz Club.

At an April 28 Bellingham council meeting, Coun. Michael Lilliquist said the purpose of the letter is not to outline the economic importance of Canada.

It’s a more personal message to fellow jurisdictions, kind of just renewing at a more cultural and personal level that we’re still your neighbours, we still value you, we still want to work with you, he said.

According to a spokesperson for the City of Bellingham, the letter was sent to nine Lower Mainland communities on May 21.

Langley mayor unconvinced

Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward said that while he hasn’t received the letter as of yet, he understands why Washington state communities would be trying to reaffirm the relationship between the state and the province.

Canadians have been crossing the border for generations, supporting American businesses and participating in one of the largest open borders in the world, he said.

But he said the message doesn’t speak to him on a personal level.

My personal opinion is that the American government and the American establishment essentially decided that it wants to change the nature of the relationship.

Woodward said he, like many other Canadians, is planning to spend his money and vacation time in Canada.

Bellingham isn’t the first jurisdiction to acknowledge the tension and hope Canadians will return to American travel; in mid-April, California Governor Gavin Newsom urged Canadians to visit the Golden State’s sandy beaches and wine country.

Point Roberts, Wash., has appealed to B.C.’s humanity for support — if a trade war gets out of hand, leaders aren’t sure the community would survive.

But Woodward said Bellingham should look elsewhere for support.

Bellingham should potentially look to Montana and maybe Oregon for those people to come up and support them, and not Canada.

This article is republished from RCI.