BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

OGDENSBURG -- Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority is sounding the alarm after losing an estimated $40,000 - $50,000 in March alone due to declines in bridge traffic.

In recent weeks comments made by the President regarding Canada have led some Canadians to stop crossing the border for their shopping. There has also been a lot of uncertainty about tariffs with the White House announcing, delaying and reversing calls for hikes on a near weekly basis.

OBPA Executive Director Steve Lawrence said passenger traffic is down 43% compared to 2019 and 38% to 2024. He said freight activity has also slowed, with truck crossings down 22.8% from 2019 and 15.8% in 2024.

Overall bridge traffic fell 40.2 percent compared to 2019 and 35.1% from 2024.

He said it's impacting not only OBPA revenues but also local businesses that depend on Canadian visitation.

"We’re seeing real-world consequences of this trade standoff. Cross-border activity is feeling the pinch, and it's affecting everything from tourism to trucking. We’ll continue to monitor the situation closely and are available to share additional insights with local, state and federal partners," he said.

Lawrence said the impact is already measurable.

"The ongoing U.S.-Canada tariff dispute is having an immediate and measurable impact on cross-border traffic at the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, with new data showing a sharp decline in both passenger and commercial crossings during the first week of April.," he said.

OBPA Board Chairman Sam Burns did not point to the tariffs or boycotts as the problem in a recent statement, but he did share some concerning statistics.

"Yesterday, as Chair of the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority, I offered comments on some concerning news at our monthly meeting. The Board of Directors were informed by staff that traffic on the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge took a nosedive in March 2025, with car crossings down by 43% and truck traffic down by 23% compared to 2019. This drop is estimated to cost between $40,000 and $50,000 for March alone. It's a big hit, especially since March is usually a slow month, and things typically pick up in April. The last time we saw such a decline was during the Covid border closures, which cost the Bridge & Port Authority a whopping $5 million that we will never recover," he said.

Burns said the decrease in cross-border traffic is bad news for local businesses in the North Country, especially those that rely on Canadian tourists.

"The economic impact will affect local gas stations, restaurants, small gift shops, air travel and all tourist areas," he said.

Burns is hoping to raise awareness on the issue and says he intends to prepare a fact sheet that will be sent to St. Lawrence County legislators as well as town boards and villages in the county.

He says the declining traffic will impact everywhere in the North Country from Jefferson to Franklin and Clinton counties as well.

"In addition, our NY State and Federal elected officials must be kept informed now!  As a border region we are feeling the effects of a decrease in travel between our countries more severely than other parts of our state and nation.  This year could be devastating to the North Country economy," he said.

Of course the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority aren’t the only ones feeling the pinch. In a recent interview Alcoa CEO Bill Oplinger said the tariffs proposed by the president would”decimate the aluminium sector.”

He expected as many as 20,000 jobs could be lost in the sector and an additional 80,000 could be lost indirectly.

Alcoa operates a plant in Massena, which has faced the prospect of closure more than once due to market swings and received big financial federal subsidies in the past to avoid closure.

St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency CEO Patrick Kelly said that one of the largest aspects of the tariff issue locally is the uncertainty.

He said it's hard to estimate the impacts of the tariffs partly because it’s unclear exactly what will and won’t be implemented.

“Uncertainty always creates a challenge for business whether you’re operating a retail store or manufacturing floor. I think there are scenarios where there are opportunities for manufacturers and some concerns based on conversations I’ve had,” he said. 

Kelly said that as a border community, the impact of the current trade situation will have a more immediate impact.

That’s something that appears to be clear based on the numbers shared by the OBPA.

Of course it’s certainly not unique to St. Lawrence County.

Gary Douglas, president of the North Country Chamber of Commerce, said it’s a major concern for nearly all North Country businesses.

"97% of area businesses expressed opposition to U.S. tariffs on Canada in our 2025 Issue Survey and with good reason," He said. "It's because no other area in the country is more economically and socially connected with Canada or serves as a better microcosm of why a trade war with our northern friends is just a bad thing bi-nationally."

Help St. Lawrence County Stay Connected!

We’re glad you read this article reported by the staff of NorthCountryNow.com.

If you haven’t done so already, please consider subscribing to ensure you have full access to all the news and info about St. Lawrence County.

Your subscriptions make it possible for us to provide trustworthy local news, promote our many community events, and encourage community dialogue.

Please click here to subscribe today!