Sault Ste. Marie sees border traffic fall amid U.S.-Canada tariff tensions

Nearly 1,100 people gathered in late June for the International Bridge Walk linking Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, as local leaders emphasized the cities’ close cross-border ties.

Traffic over the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge has fallen sharply amid worsening U.S.-Canada relations and new tariffs. The bridge recorded 270,000 fewer total crossings last year, nearly a 24% drop from 2024, according to the International Bridge Administration.

The Sault area lost at least $82.9 million last year in local spending because of decreased crossings, including $62.7 million on the Michigan side and $20.2 million on the Ontario side, the bridge administration estimated.

Halfway into 2026, auto traffic remained at the lower volume, bridge director Peter Petainen said, while commercial traffic fell nearly 15% further. The publicly owned bridge depends on tolls for maintenance and operations.

Read the full story at propublica.org.