This weekend the Canadian invasion of Seattle by Toronto Blue Jays fans looks like it might be different than previous years.
Blue Jays superfan Arthur Gallant went to a game between his team and the Seattle Mariners last summer and intended to return for the three-game set this weekend.
However, when U.S. President Donald Trump started his 51st state rhetoric about Canada, Gallant said it didn’t feel right to cross the border.
“I have to put my country over my team and really send a message with my money,” he told Global News.
“It’s not personal, it’s not about the city themselves.
Data provided by the Whatcom Council of Governments comparing the number of B.C. licence plates crossing the border into Washington State found that in April 2024, 200,853 vehicles crossed, compared to 98,576 in April 2025.
As of Thursday afternoon, hundreds of tickets are still available for all three Blue Jays games in Seattle this weekend.
Cross-border traffic continues to drop as travellers face new checkpoint
On Tuesday, Denny Heck, the Lt.-Gov. of Washington, said his office had received information that reservations for the weekend were down by half.
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Vancouver resident Daryl — who did not want his last name published due to possibly being flagged at the border in the future — said he was planning on going to the games for a bachelor party with around 10 friends but they changed their plans.
“With everything going on with Trump, the border and all that stuff,” he told Global News.
“Everywhere you go in the city it is full of Jays fans. It’s a lot of fun. Sad to not go this year and the foreseeable future.”
Seattle is still trying to entice Canadians with a local initiative that includes more than 35 Seattle hotels and restaurants taking the Canadian dollar at par with the U.S.
“A relationship that is 100 years old is being spoiled by some goofy decisions in the other Washington,” Bob Donegan, president of Ivar’s Restaurants said.
“I don’t expect we are going to see 10,000 additional tickets sold to the Mariners game, but if we earn some goodwill with our friends and neighbours, that’s our primary purpose of doing this.”
U.S. border checkpoints randomly search cars bound for Canada
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