Ottawa, Ontario — Regarded as one of the biggest ski shows in Canada, the Ottawa Ski, Snowboard and Travel Show gets skiers and riders north of the border stoked for the cold months. While trade tensions are now defining the relationship between the United States and Canada, it may come as a surprise that U.S. ski resorts are putting less effort into recruiting Canadians to visit.
CTV News reports that for the first time in at least twenty years, no U.S. ski resorts attended the convention. The reasons aren’t exactly clear, though Ottawa is admittedly not Canada’s biggest market. Visitation from up north is down at U.S. ski resorts because of political tensions, the renaming of one of the Great Lakes, and threats to Canadian sovereignty. Some guests are even vowing not to visit their neighbor until new leadership comes to the United States.
Surprisingly, Canadians are starting to revisit the states. Border crossings from Canada to the U.S. were up in September 2026 compared to September 2025, which is surprising considering the summer saw some tough moments between the two countries.
American ski resorts have varying levels of reliance on Canadian ski resorts. For some ski resorts, such as Jay Peak and Whitefish, Canadian travelers make up a huge segment. Jay Peak has made multiple pushes to appeal to Quebec skiers and riders, but some are content with waiting a few years.
Image/Video Credits: CTV News
