In the northwest corner of Washington state lies a quirky US exclave so dependent on Canada’s goodwill – and vacation home residents – that the strain of President Donald Trump’s tariff war is inescapable, including in the sole grocery store, at any of the three eateries, and for the many residents who never voted for him.
Locals and visitors alike in Point Roberts, Washington, are increasingly worried about how this unusual waterfront border town that has embodied the two countries’ interdependency can survive the hostility brewing on both sides.
“This was really devastating,” said Tamra Hansen, a longtime Point Roberts resident and business owner whose eyes welled with tears as she described her two restaurants on the brink. “If we don’t get the support from the Canadians, this town will die.”
Known as a geographic oddity since the boundary with Canada was drawn in 1846, this detached 13-sq.km. community – called an exclave because it’s completely separated from mainland America – is surrounded by water on three sides. Its only land connection is to Canada and it takes one border crossing and about 40 km. north by car to get to downtown Vancouver; or two border crossings and about 40 km. through Canada to re-enter the United States along Boundary Bay.
The beaches, marina, golf course and hiking trails have long made Point Roberts a cherished getaway destination, but today locals say business has never been worse. Canadian visitors are staying away and some American residents say they’ve even been harassed over their nationality.
Point Roberts Fire Chief Christopher Carleton said Point Roberts is one of the last remaining untouched natural gems of the United States, but the tight-knit community with no stop lights is now under threat by politicians who know nothing about their way of life.
“We need to take care of one another and have grace for one another and not allow people who don’t even know we exist to disrupt the relationships we currently have,” said Carleton, whose firefighters mostly live across the border.
For a country that has famously prides itself on being nice, polite and loyal allies, Canadians aren’t hiding their disgust for Trump’s polarizing rhetoric, especially taking offense with the US president’s claim that Canada could be the “51st state.”
Mark Nykolaichuk said he refuses to go to the mainland US but describes Point Roberts as a unique exception because the border here has never felt like an actual divide for Canadians like him who grew up visiting.
Most of the property owners are from Canada, and many of the 1,000 year-round residents have dual citizenship. Once a booming fishing town, the leading industry now, according to US Census data, is retail – primarily driven from tourism because of the number of vacation properties. The unincorporated Whatcom County community is now mostly home to retirees, though this year there are seven students – nicknamed “The Borderites” – at the lone public school.
Nykolaichuk, who lives in the Vancouver area, said he hopes he can help keep the Point Roberts International Marketplace open by shopping there, given that management reports business is down 20% to 30%. He depends on Point Roberts’ only grocery store to be able to cook at his vacation home because US customs doesn’t permit raw meat to enter its borders, for example, so he must buy it in town.
“Nobody wants to see this place shut down,” Nykolaichuk said. “If this place goes, where are the US citizens going to eat? Where are they going to get their food from?”
Many in Point Roberts don’t blame the Canadians for their disdain over Trump’s perceived sovereignty threat. Instead, there’s a deep sadness for both sides.
Locals say one of the most frustrating things about the tit-for-tat is the way that the tariffs have abruptly started and stopped, creating an unsteady flow of changes to customs. The whiplash for residents who often cross the border multiple times a day leaves them unsure whether or when they’ll be surprised with a new penalty.
This fear over unexpected tariff fees has made people cautious about buying things in Point Roberts – if they’re coming into town at all.
Hugh Wilson, a real estate agent who also manages several local Airbnb listings, said properties have seen more cancellations than bookings lately. “Nobody is sure of the rules at any one day here,” he said. “The border agents do the best they can to stay up to date and they relay that to us as normal people crossing the border.”
Jed Holmes, a spokesman for the county, said they are communicating with Washington state’s congressional delegation in D.C. to address the rapid deterioration in US-Canada relations that has especially affected Point Roberts.
“I understand that folks want us to do more, but it’s really challenging to identify what meaningful things a county government can do to change this dynamic at the international level,” Holmes said in an email.
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