Victoria, June 18, 2025 – With the summer tourism season underway, 47% of B.C. small business owners say they rely on summer tourism for at least some of their revenue, and 57% are concerned the U.S.-Canada trade dispute could disrupt their operations, according to new data from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
“Whether it’s a staycation or going coast-to-coast, tourists travelling within B.C. or Canada this summer could be a lifeline for many small businesses.” said Ryan Mitton, CFIB’s Director of Legislative Affairs for British Columbia. “Many operators rely on summer cash flow to keep the doors open year-round. Even a modest dip in bookings or visitor spending can hit hard when costs and debt are already high.”
This year, 41% of B.C. businesses expect summer tourism revenue to remain the same as last year, while about equal shares expect either higher or lower revenues. Nationally, data from CFIB found that 40% of those surveyed noticed changes in tourists’ behaviour. Among those, 58% of businesses are seeing growing interest from Canadian travelers, and 37% noticed visitors choosing more affordable options for goods or services.
Cross-border travel takes a hit amid trade tensions
A public opinion poll conducted by CFIB with members of the Angus Reid Forum found that among British Columbians who have finalized their travel plans or have yet to do so, 67% plan to travel within the province, 39% elsewhere in Canada, and 18% elsewhere in the world other than the U.S.
Only 8% of British Columbians are travelling or looking to travel to the U.S. this summer, while 42% have canceled their business travel to the U.S and 49% cancelled their personal travel.
“With more Canadians opting to vacation at home, B.C. should be well-positioned,” said Kalith Nanayakkara, CFIB’s senior policy analyst for British Columbia. “But red tape, permitting delays and high costs can keep operators from taking full advantage of that opportunity.”
To help the tourism industry, CFIB urges all three levels of government to reduce permit and licensing requirements while actively promoting buying local and travelling within and to Canada.
“The tourism sector is one of B.C.’s largest employers, and most tourism operators are small businesses,” Mitton added. “Governments and Canadians have a significant role in strengthening our economy and supporting independent local businesses. Removing barriers now will pay dividends for local economies all summer long.”
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Kalith Nanayakkara, CFIB
Kalith.nanayakkara@cfib.ca
Methodology
The Your Voice survey was conducted online, in English and French, from May 6 to June 2 and received 2,190 responses from Canadian business owners (B.C. sample n=409). For comparison purposes, a probability sample with the same number of respondents would have a margin of error of +/- 2.09%, 19 times out of 20.
The public opinion poll was conducted online, in English and French, by CFIB from June 6 to 9, with a representative sample of 1501 adult Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample with the same number of respondents would have a margin of error of +/-2.53%, 19 times out of 20.
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.