By Garry Douglas
Our Annual Issue Survey once again spotlighted welcome optimism in our North Country business community, with 65% expecting their business activity to be up this year and another 22% expecting it to be steady for a Business Confidence Index of 87%.
And there are ample reasons for local optimism including strong employment, the Micro Bird deal, the upcoming construction of the major new BETA facility at Plattsburgh International Airport, planned expansions by several manufacturers including Michelin and Schluter Systems, the announcement of several new manufacturers coming to town, a strong tourism season in 2024, a sustainable path for Clinton Community College and the IAM, the upcoming construction of a major new training hub for CV-TEC and other factors.
The one cloud of uncertainly hanging above us is the threat of self-harming tariffs on Canada and the related generation of a strong groundswell of reaction within the Canadian population — consisting of a burst of Canadian patriotism, which would be fine, in tangent with an unprecedented degree of commitment to avoiding U.S. products and U.S. travel. One recent poll found three out of four Quebecers saying they were boycotting us.
Passenger car traffic at U.S.-Canadian bridges dropped 17% in the first week of February.
Being, as we often say, in the “Quebec business” with an annual economic impact of cross-border commerce and activity in all forms exceeding $1 billion annually just in Clinton County, anything that disturbs any part of that dynamic must be of concern.
This is why we have so actively voiced facts and figures in the media and to officials of both countries, joining bi-national partners in consistent and hopefully impactful messaging. Our Canadian friends have been especially appreciative and we feel we are part of a chorus which has in fact been helpful.
But the new “stay at home” mindset across the border is a different phenomenon as it represents a (hopefully temporary) undermining of the incredibly special people-to-people relationship we are so much a part of. How to address and counter it is challenging, but we are developing appropriate forms of new outreach and messaging and every hospitality business in the North Country that enjoys Canadian patronage needs to do likewise.
There is an old rule in politics that feelings aren’t right or wrong, Thay just are. And our Canadian friends are feeling hurt and angry.
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