Tariff war casualties: Point Roberts parcel service reliant on Canadians closes, Blaine business grim​on March 27, 2025 at 9:18 pm

U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and annexation threats — and Canada’s retaliatory tariffs — are hurting border town parcel companies in the U.S. that rely on their northern neighbours’ business.

One has even made the heart-rending decision to close down after 24 years in business.

Point To Point Parcel, in Point Roberts, Wash., will close next month because 99 per cent of its customers are Canadian and business has collapsed, said co-owner Beth Calder.

Calder said Thursday that it was a tough decision because they have developed close relationships with their Canadian customers over the years.

“We’ve had customers that have been with us for 20 years. It’s so sad. There are people coming in every day in tears, and dropping off letters of support,” she said.

According to data collected by B.C.’s Transportation Ministry and the Washington State Department of Transportation, there have been 213,674 southbound vehicle crossings to date this month. That’s down from March 2024, when 348,499 vehicles were recorded heading south into Washington state, a nearly 39 per cent decrease.

“Canadian customers were coming in and they were very verbal about how upset they were with the things that were being said by the president. And I fully agree with them, too. There’s no need for all that and I don’t like bullying,” said Calder.

“And now there’s this tariff war, and that really threw the wrench into our business completely.”

Calder doesn’t know what the future hold,s but will take some time to decide what to do next.

Business was a challenge during COVID-19 but they managed to keep afloat by holding packages until people could cross the border again, Calder.

But this time, she doesn’t see a resolution any time soon.

“This decision was not made lightly … but it was a decision that I was pushing my business partner in the sense that I want to close with dignity and grace. I don’t want to be forced into bankruptcy, but unfortunately, being a small community and a border town, I fully survive off of my Canadian customers. I can’t expect them to come across and have to pay all those additional taxes and support us,” she said.

“And … there’s that whole fear of the unknown. A lot of customers are not sure what’s going to happen, and they’re used to the way things have worked for decades.”