The mayor of Minneapolis has a message for Canadians who've been staying away from the United States.
"Hey Canadians, we like you guys. We miss you. We don't think of you as the 51st state," Jacob Frey said in a video posted to Instagram.
"We know that you're a sovereign nation."
Frey acknowledged the tension behind the drop in Canadian visitors.
"I understand you've been dealing with some kind of unreasonable stuff," he said, adding that Minneapolis has dealt with "some really unreasonable stuff" too.
"We can talk about that when you come to visit us."
7.1 million fewer visits
Canadians made 23.1 million visits to the U.S. in 2025, according to Statistics Canada. That's 7.1 million fewer than the year before, a drop of 23.5 per cent. Compared with 2019, visits were down 26.7 per cent.
Leisure trips took the biggest hit, falling 21.5 per cent.
The decline wasn't because Canadians stopped travelling altogether. Overseas visits rose 10.2 per cent, to 14.3 million.
$3.3 billion less spent in the U.S.
Canadians spent $18.8 billion during U.S. visits in 2025, down $3.3 billion from the year before. Spending on overseas trips climbed to $31.3 billion.
The drop has carried into this year. In the first three months of 2026, Canadian visits to the U.S. were down another 10.6 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.
Statistics Canada says Canadians' feelings about travel to the U.S. shifted sharply after the change in U.S. administration and its "America First" policies.
A rough week for the relationship
Frey's video lands in a tense week.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Canada is being "taught a little lesson," as new bans on some Canadian alcohol, dairy-related products and vehicles took effect at the border.
An AP-NORC poll taken in late September found just 26 per cent of Americans now call Canada a close ally, down from 62 per cent in 2023.
We covered Trump's comments, the new bans and the poll here.
Not every American is sending the same message
Frey's video is one side of a split in how Americans are talking about Canada.
The other side has been just as visible. In August, Trump signed an order renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for U.S. federal use. It doesn't change what Canada calls the lake, but it became a symbol of the dispute almost overnight.
Then a Michigan credit union CEO posted an AI-generated "Lake America" image that went viral. The backlash was fast, and the CEO is now out at the credit union. Read our coverage of that story here.
Frey took the opposite approach. Instead of a new name for a shared lake, he opened with the line many Canadians have been waiting to hear from an American official: "We know that you're a sovereign nation."
What Frey is selling
Frey's video is only about 45 seconds long, and he doesn't run through a list of tourist attractions.
"It's beautiful fall right now," he said. "We can visit some of the best restaurants in the world, hang out at the lakes, but most importantly we can have each other's company."
The lakes are a natural part of the pitch. Minneapolis' Chain of Lakes links several of the city's best-known lakes with trails for walking and cycling.
For shoppers, Minnesota doesn't charge state sales tax on most everyday clothing and footwear. The Mall of America is just outside Minneapolis, in neighbouring Bloomington.
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport is also one of Delta Air Lines' major hubs, with connections across North America.
Why U.S. cities want Canadians back
That $3.3 billion didn't just disappear at the border. For U.S. destinations used to Canadian visitors, it means less money for hotels, restaurants, stores and attractions.
Minneapolis isn't the first to try to win it back. Other U.S. mayors and tourism groups have made their own appeals to Canadians as the decline has carried on into 2026.
What's different about Frey's pitch is that he doesn't dodge the politics behind the drop. He brings it up in the first few seconds, with the 51st state line.
Not everyone is convinced
Many replies to Frey's video were blunt.
"This Canadian will not step foot on USA soil," one person wrote.
"Every cent of my hard-earned money will be spent in Canada," wrote another.
"Nice attempt, but you are just trying to bring money to your economy," said a third.
Frey ended his video simply.
"Whether it's a short flight away or for some of you even a drive, I can't wait to see you when you visit our city. Love, Minneapolis."
Sources
Jacob Frey, video posted to Instagram, September 2026
Statistics Canada, Travel between Canada and other countries, 2025 annual results
Statistics Canada, Travel between Canada and other countries, first quarter 2026
Executive Order 14422, The White House, August 27, 2026
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