Border Policy Research Institute and the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce are inviting Whatcom County business owners to take a survey on how fewer cross-border customers have affected their businesses over the past year.
The survey is focused on owners’ perceptions and experiences surrounding Canadian tourism and shopping, with researchers having a particular interest in businesses that largely serve Canadians.
The questionnaire is expected to take five minutes and asks about changes businesses have made to accommodate fewer cross-border travelers and whether they expect fewer Canadians to affect business survival, among other queries.
The survey opened March 12.
Jennifer Bettis, a researcher and program manager at the institute, said the survey will remain open until at least mid-May, depending on the number of responses received.
The research institute at Western Washington University studies cross-border topics in the Cascadia region to inform policy-makers. It has released several surveys to Blaine and Whatcom County residents since the pandemic.
The survey comes after a year of fewer Canadians traveling to the U.S., driven partly by opposition to the Trump administration and its tariffs. Vehicles with B.C. license plates traveling into Whatcom County were down 32% in January and 17% in February compared to the same months in 2025, according to the latest data from the Washington Council of Governments.
To participate in the survey, visit bpri.wwu.edu/surveys-focus-groups.
