By Sam Douglass

As the Trump administration prepares to initiate new tariffs on select Canadian goods, Jay Peak Resort is reaching across the border with a message of support for its Canadian visitors. Jay Peak General Manager Steve Wright, who testified before Congress in 2025 on the effects of past tariffs on the resort, has penned an open letter to Canadians as the new trade war between the neighboring countries continues to escalate. 

Wright wrote that in his view, the relationship between the two countries has never been purely economic, rather the relationship is familial and cultural and that Canadians have long been a part of the Jay Peak community. Nevertheless, trade remains an important part of the relationship and in his letter, Wright references affected consumer preferences and travel in regard to the new tariffs.

“We understand that, right now, some Canadians are making difficult decisions about traveling to the United States. We understand why. And while we’re not particularly interested in telling anyone what to think about tariffs, trade policy, or politics, we do have an opinion about anything that makes good neighbors feel farther apart. We don’t like it.”

With leaves already changing color in some corners of the state, it is unclear how the latest developments in trade policy will affect travel between Vermont and Canada as the upcoming ski season approaches.

Just a few miles south of the border, Jay Peak has historically drawn thousands of Canadian visitors throughout the ski season. Guests regularly travel from cities including Montreal, Quebec City, and Toronto to ski and snowboard at Jay Peak. But according to Wright, cross-border traffic has fallen sharply in recent years.

During testimony before Congress in June 2025, Wright said Jay Peak had experienced a 35 percent decline in Canadian winter passes for fiscal year 2026. Wright also stated that Canadians comprise 50 percent of the resort’s daily visitors. 

Now, with Canada responding with matching tariffs of up to 50 percent on $20 billion of American goods, it is uncertain what the escalating dispute could mean for the economy and cross-border tourism.

The Canadian tariffs, set at rates of 15 percent, 25 percent, and 50 percent, are scheduled to take effect on US products on September 8. This date falls less than two months before the US general election and may have implications in voter sentiment.

Despite current tensions between the two nations, Wright made clear in his letter that Jay Peak’s feelings toward its Canadian neighbors have not changed.

“The border may feel different right now. We do not,” Wright wrote. “You are our neighbors. You are our friends. You are part of this place. And you’re always welcome at Jay.”