THUNDER BAY — The city’s mayor says he wants to maintain a welcoming atmosphere for Americans who are coming up to visit.
That’s why Ken Boshcoff said he’s spent roughly $1,400 of his own money for a roadside sign to be displayed, initially for three months, on Highway 61 which is visible to northbound drivers.
“Welcome American Neighbours!” the sign reads. “Please enjoy our community!” It also features an aerial image of the north-side waterfront and a picture of Boshcoff.
“So, really, it's encouraging people to keep visiting and going across the borders and doing what they had — basically to try and normalize life, because there are few countries in the world that should be, and are, as good neighbours as we are,” Boshcoff said, calling the cost of the sign “a real bargain.”
Tensions have risen between Canada and the United States after Donald Trump re-took office as president in January. Almost immediately, Trump initiated a series of tariffs against Canada (Ottawa subsequently retaliated with its own tariffs on U.S. goods) and many Canadian residents, businesses, municipalities and other organizations have pivoted to boycotting American goods.
The president has also openly talked about the annexation of Canada, making it the 51st state and undermining Canadian sovereignty by calling the border along the 49th parallel an “artificially-drawn line.”
During his first official visit to the White House earlier in May, Prime Minister Mark Carney — himself, recently elected in April — said to Trump that Canada is “not for sale, (and) won’t be for sale, ever.”
The idea for the highway-side sign to welcome tourists, Boshcoff said, came out of a series of conversations he and other mayors of communities along both sides of the border have been having. During these discussions, Boshcoff said, there was a continued desire on both sides to continue to work together, despite the rhetoric coming out of Washington.
“We want them to know, on the national level, that we are friends and maybe they should be rethinking some of these gestures towards Canadians,” he said.
“So, it was really sparked by the American side to let us know that they were on board and the Canadian mayors reciprocated by saying ‘yeah, we're on board with you,’” Boshcoff continued. “Let's not point fingers at anybody else — let's just take the positive road and reaffirm the fact that we have an undefended border.”
“How many countries in the world can you say that of the 200? Not very many.”
Data released by Canadian and American border officials earlier this year pointed to declines of cross-border traffic between the two countries so far in 2025.
Paul Pepe, the manager of Tourism Thunder Bay said, typically, the U.S. market makes up about 20 per cent of total visitation to the city. But compared to other tourists, Pepe said, Americans "will stay a bit longer in the area and spend more money."
Pepe confirmed his agency didn't have anything to do with the sign itself. He said welcoming visitors from the U.S. is "something that doesn't change for us."
"We continue to be a destination, a community that is welcoming to all, that celebrates the diversity of our community," he said.
Boshcoff said he may extend the amount of time the sign stays up. The mayor added that he’s already receiving positive feedback.
“I've already had many, many comments both from Canadians and some Americans who've called in and to just to let me know that they really appreciate the gesture,” Boshcoff said.
-With files from Sheri Leviski-Kotyk
