We moved to Washington during the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the effects of that pandemic was that the US - Canada border was closed to all non-essential traffic. It first closed on March 21, 2020 and remained closed for 19 months. The border was still closed for most travel when we purchased our home very close to the border in the fall of 2021. The area where we made the purchase is a tourist area that prior to the border closing had enjoyed a healthy tourist trade with Canadian visitors. For years the prices of some commodities including gas and groceries were lower in the US and Canadians routinely crossed the border to go shopping. Border towns are filled with mailbox businesses that exist to give Canadians US addresses to receive packages from online businesses, taking advantage of free shipping to US addresses. Although items purchased and transported across the border must be reported to customs officials, the practice of bringing small amounts of personal items became routine.

In addition, there are many cross-border families, with some family members living on one side of the border and others living on the other. We have met several families that include some members with Canadian citizenship and others with US citizenship. Extended families, used to crossing the border for family gatherings were forced to separate during the border closure in order to obtain health care in their country of citizenship. The complexities of health care and insurance are very different in the two countries and it was very challenging to cross-border families to obtain health care when the border was closed.

The border is now open. Last Friday we crossed from the US to Canada, back into the US, and back through Canada to the US in a single day. Each border crossing took just a few minutes with only a few simple questions to answer after we presented our passports. We see a lot of cars with British Columbia license plates all around town. When I stopped to pick up a few items at Costco yesterday it seemed like about half of the cars in the parking lot were from Canada. When we were in Point Roberts on Friday we noticed that all of the gas stations were advertising prices per liter rather than per gallon as gas is sold in the rest of our state. I suppose having the price in liter simplifies price comparison for those traveling across the border, but with the Canadian dollar trading at only 78 cents American, there is still quite a bit of mental math required to compute whether or not one is getting a good deal.

Of course, those near the border have become accustomed to calculating exchange rates and differences in measurement for decades. It isn’t really that difficult, it is just something of which you have to be aware. I have lived much of my life in border states and have seen quite a few changes over the years. When I was growing up in Montana, crossing the border was no big deal. The driver of a car was asked to show identification at border crossings, but a driver’s license would do and no one felt the need to have a passport to go to and from Canada. In those days the exchange rate was closer to even and we routinely received Canadian currency in change at stores. We didn’t pay much attention to whether we had Canadian or US pennies, nickels, dimes, or quarters. That has all changed. At the restaurant where we ate lunch on Friday, the cashier clearly stated to a Canadian customer that they do not accept Canadian currency. Another change from decades ago is that most credit and debt cards now offer free currency exchange so that they can be used seamlessly regardless of which country you choose to spend money.

The statistics, however, reveal that the pandemic has had a dramatic effect on the area and that things have not returned to normal following the border closings. There are five border crossings between Whatcom County, where we live and Canada. The combined crossings are sometimes collectively referred to as the Cascade Gateway. There are signs and monuments to the open border. In 2023, our five land border crossings were down 25% compared to pre-pandemic times in 2019. Since the currency exchange rate is nearly identical to what it was back in 2019, the statistics show that habits have changed.

There are simply fewer Canadians making day trips across the border to buy cheaper gas, milk, and alcohol. More impactful on our small village is that many beach cottages owned by British Columbians are going on the market, taking advantage of high prices on all housing units. One local marina reports that leases of slips by Canadian customers is down by about 15 percent. That market has recovered significantly from the pandemic days when the marinas were empty, with both Canadian and US boat owners keeping their boats out of the water for extended periods of time.

Many of other pandemic restrictions are fading with the passage of time. Although I remember to carry a face mask with me most of the time, I go many days without ever donning one. There are a few medical facilities that still require all persons to wear masks, but masks are optional at most doctor’s offices these days. We have grown adjusted to seeing people with masks and when we had colds a few months ago we wore masks when we went out in public to avoid sharing them with others. I hope we retain that habit for everyone’s benefit, but I doubt that we will feel the need to carry masks for everyday tasks much longer. Our vaccination records are logged at our doctors’ offices and the State of Washington still has an online record of vaccinations, but we don’t carry our cards with us any more. The last time we received covid vaccine we were told that the pharmacy no longer fills our vaccination cards when administering the shots.

Life goes on, but perhaps where we have arrived is at a new normal and we will never go back to the way things used to be. That would probably be true had there not been a pandemic. Since we moved during the pandemic we never know for sure how much the way things are is how they have long been or are expressions of changes in behavior. For now, we feel fortunate to have a comfortable home in a beautiful location and the option of crossing the border with ease on occasion.