Nearly half of Western Washington University students surveyed cited outdoor recreation as a primary reason for coming to Canada, a poll found.
The results of the vote were posted on the Front Instagram page as a time-limited article on Monday, January 22nd, with 201 students voting.
Derek Moscato, a professor of journalism and Canadian American studies at Western University, wasn't surprised by the poll's results.
“We find that many students traveling north to British Columbia are doing so for recreational and outdoor opportunities,” Moscato said. “As an example, rock climbing enthusiasts often visit Squamish, which is quite famous in the climbing world.”
Other popular outdoor destinations for Western students include Whistler Mountain, which attracts skiers and snowboarders, and Vancouver's North Shore trail network, a hotspot for mountain bikers, Moscato said.
Travel for these outdoor activities will become fully possible starting October 1, 2022, when the Government of Canada lifts all remaining COVID-19 travel restrictions. As a result, border crossings through Blaine in 2023 are the closest to pre-pandemic levels ever.
Blaine had 10,211,307 total crossings in 2023, an increase of about 44% compared to 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
The number of people passing through Blaine for tourism purposes increased by 22% from 2022 to 2023. Data for December 2023 has not yet been released, so these statistics compare the 12 months of 2022 with the 11 months of 2023, said Cristóbal D'Alessio, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Statistics. . Canada.
A graph posted on Front's Instagram page showing the results of a poll asking Western Washington University students why they cross the border into Canada. Data was collected from his 201 participants on January 22, 2024. // Image: Xander Johnson
While some cross-border travelers include Western students, students on the Canadian side of the border are also contributing to the increase in travel rates.
Food and grocery shopping is a popular reason for students living in British Columbia to travel to the United States. That's because some restaurants and stores, like Trader Joe's, don't have locations on both sides of the border.
Ruby Romero, 20, a student at the British Columbia Institute of Justice, decided to cross the border on a snowy day in mid-January. Romero and his friend decided to go to a restaurant that doesn't have a location in the state.
“I told the Border Patrol agent I was going to go get Wingstop,” Romero said.
While 49% of Western students surveyed cross the border for outdoor recreation, the remaining students cross the border for many other reasons. Bar/Club was her second most popular choice in the poll, receiving 31% of the votes.
There's still plenty to do in British Columbia, as well as outdoor recreation, tourism, and clubs.
“It's also true that Western students often don't make very ambitious trips to places like downtown Vancouver to attend cultural events, live shows, Vancouver Canucks hockey games, etc. '' said Moscato. “Or you could just go shopping or go out to dinner.”
Xander Johnson (he/him) is a campus news reporter at the front desk. He is majoring in Public Relations/Journalism. In his free time, he hosts a radio show on KUGS FM, goes hiking with his friends, and reads books to lose track of time. Contact Xander at xanderjohnson.thefront@gmail.com.
