Leading indicator of cross-border traveller volume, August 2020
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Released: 2020-09-11
Highlights
August 2020 marked the fifth consecutive full month of restrictions on non-essential travel at the Canada–US border. As a result, cross-border travel both ways remained low.
Automobile arrivals to Canada by US residents were 96.4% lower at land ports equipped with electronic sensors compared with a year earlier.
The number of Canadian residents returning from the United States by automobile was 95.2% below August 2019.
Travel restrictions continue
On March 21, 2020, Canada and the United States temporarily restricted non-essential travel across the land border to contain the spread of COVID-19. These restrictions will remain in effect until at least September 21, 2020.
Arrivals from the United States remain low throughout August
In August 2020, US residents made 72,800 trips to Canada in US-licensed automobiles through 111 land ports equipped with the automated Integrated Primary Inspection Line (IPIL), down 96.4% from 2.0 million trips in August 2019.
The highest daily car arrivals from the United States for the month was on August 21, when 3,090 US residents in US-licensed automobiles crossed into Canada.
The lowest daily arrivals by car was on August 2, when 1,580 US residents crossed the border into Canada.
The largest year-over-year percentage declines in US arrivals by automobile were recorded at IPIL ports in Ontario, New Brunswick and Yukon, down over 97% in each province.
Infographic 1
United States residents entering Canada in US-licensed automobiles, August 2019 and 2020
Significant declines in the number of Canadians making return trips from the United States
In August 2020, Canadian residents made 152,000 return trips from the United States in Canadian-licensed automobiles through the 111 IPIL ports, down 95.2% from 3.1 million trips in August 2019.
The lowest daily arrivals by car was registered on August 2, when 2,740 Canadian residents returned to Canada from the United States.
The number of returning Canadian residents reached a high on August 20, when 6,190 Canadians returned to Canada.
The largest year-over-year percentage declines in the number of Canadians returning from the United States by car were recorded in Yukon (-99.5%), British Columbia (-98.0%) and Quebec (-97.9%).
Infographic 2
Canadian residents returning from the United States in Canadian-licensed automobiles, August 2019 and 2020
Note to readers
Counts of cross-border travel by automobile through 111 land ports equipped with the IPIL system are available by the traveller's state or province of residence and by the province of entry into Canada, based on the licence plate of the automobile used to enter Canada.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) uses various data sources to collect information on travellers entering the country. The IPIL system accounts for the largest share of travellers entering Canada by automobile.
The IPIL data exclude automobile travellers who cross the Canada–US border using a NEXUS card and at ports that are not equipped with the IPIL system. These counts also exclude US travellers entering Canada in automobiles with Canadian licence plates and Canadian travellers returning to the country in automobiles with US licence plates.
As such, the IPIL data represent only a subset of Canadian and US residents entering Canada by automobile. In 2019, for example, the 111 IPIL ports covered by this indicator captured approximately 80% of cross-border automobile traffic between Canada and the United States.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; STATCAN.infostats-infostats.STATCAN@canada.ca) or Media Relations (613-951-4636; STATCAN.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.STATCAN@canada.ca).
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