President Trump’s Feb. 1 executive order imposing a much ballyhooed 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, although paused days later, was the trigger for an avalanche of trade war concerns—and the U.S. ski industry was caught in the slide. It may be difficult to measure the precise extent of the damage, but the impacts are real.

In a Jan. 29 social media post, northern Vermont’s Jay Peak invited Quebecers to book a stay at Jay with a 25 percent discount on select vacation packages, and the option to pay for half the stay at par. The offer was met with a chorus of “thanks, but given the current situation, I’ll pass” on Facebook. 

The response prompted Jay Peak GM Steve Wright to post a statement on Feb. 3 in which he reflected on the resort’s longstanding and strong relationship with Canadian guests, who account for a large percentage of the resort’s visitors. He expressed empathy for “the difficulty of reconciling your love of a place with any political motivations keeping you from even this, the most special of places.

“If your plans do not include Jay this winter,” he continued, “we’ll be here, as we always have been, when this particular tide turns.” 

The statement struck a nerve, generating more than 10,000 reactions and 1,200 comments on Facebook and Instagram combined. Many of the comments echoed the sentiments shared in response to the Jan. 29 post. For example:

“Thanks for the understanding, as a small Canadian business owner exporting to the USA, I will stop visiting the USA till the end of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.”

 “Thank you for your kind message .... Unfortunately, the bully-ish actions of your government have altered my travel plans for this winter, and most probably, for years to come.”

“Heartbreaking situation, Jay always makes us feel [at] home! But the invasion threats ... makes us uncomfortable.”

“I’m disappointed to not be going. Jay is a special place, but to quote the Big Lebowski himself, ‘this aggression will not stand, Man!’”

“Jay has always been a special place and will continue to be. Thanks for recognizing the strong bond between Canada and the U.S. We’ll be back at one point.”

Some Canadians pointed to the exchange rate for changes to their vacation plans: “Jay Peak is one of my favourite ski holidays. Unfortunately the exchange rate is terrible. Spending this year at Mont Sainte Anne and Le Massif. See you in four years, Jay Peak!”

Others declared that the current geopolitical climate wouldn’t keep them from Jay, but appreciated Wright’s words and sincerity, nonetheless.

The response to the post was overwhelmingly positive, although the perspective of U.S. commenters appeared to be more varied. Many applauded Wright’s sentiment while a handful of others defended the tariffs, with one declaring the post and comments “a huge overreaction,” saying the tariffs were nothing but a successful threat to elicit border concessions from Canada and Mexico.

Implementation of the tariffs was paused for 30 days on Feb. 3, following agreements from the Canadian and Mexican governments to enact border control measures that had largely been previously negotiated with the Biden administration.

Did the pause change the minds of Canadians who chose to boycott U.S. companies and goods? For some, the damage was done: “Love the message, but in light of the recent situation, my family and I have decided to spend our ski holiday at a Canadian resort this year. Even tho [sic] the tariffs have been paused, decisions have been made that show the instability of the U.S. as a partner, and many Canadians are not going to simply forget recent events,” said a commenter on Jay’s post.

And the pause is hardly the end of the “tariff war.” On Feb. 11, Trump ordered a 25 percent import tax on all steel and aluminum entering the U.S., effective March 12, ending previous exemptions for U.S. allies, including Canada and the EU, both of whom said they will retaliate if the order goes into effect. 

A steep tariff on steel and aluminum imports would, of course, have bottom line impacts to mountain resort industry suppliers and operators.

By the time you read this, the blanket tariffs may be back in place. If so, we can predict the response from Canadian skiers and riders.