Along South Federal Highway in Hollywood, Florida, a stretch of motels has long served as a winter home away from home for French-speaking Canadians escaping the frigid months up north. At the center of this community is Richard's Motel, a property owned by Quebec native Richard Clavet, who has catered to Canadian travelers for years and affectionately nicknames his corner of the Sunshine State "Little Quebec."
The campus is hard to mistake for anything else. A life-size fiberglass moose stands among the palm trees, and signs welcoming Canadian guests dot the grounds. For decades, this slice of Broward County has filled each fall with a seasonal community of snowbirds, many of them French Canadians who return year after year for the warm weather and familiar company.
But this season looks different. According to Clavet, the trade war between the United States and Canada that began last year has triggered a wave of cancellations at his properties. The reasons guests give vary. Some have offered vague excuses, including feigned illness. Others have been far more direct, telling him plainly that politics is behind their decision to stay away.
Clavet recalled one particularly pointed exchange with a longtime customer who had already put down a $1,000 deposit. He tried to persuade the man to reconsider, suggesting he at least postpone the trip rather than forfeit the money entirely. The guest refused. In Clavet's recollection, the caller said simply that he would not set foot in the United States anymore.
The shift is notable because Canada has historically been the single largest source of international visitors to the United States. Data from the Canadian government confirms that the U.S. has long ranked as Canadians' top travel destination, making any sustained drop in cross-border trips a significant concern for communities that depend on that traffic.
South Florida is especially exposed to such a decline. The region's economy leans heavily on tourism, and Canadian snowbirds are among its most reliable seasonal customers. They tend to stay for weeks or even months at a time, spending on lodging, meals, groceries, gasoline, and entertainment in ways that short-term visitors typically do not. Their extended stays make them a stabilizing force for local businesses during the winter months.
The presence of Canadian travelers is also woven into the cultural fabric of places like Hollywood. French-language signage, Canadian flags, and themed establishments all reflect a cross-border relationship that has been nurtured over generations. The motels along Federal Highway are not simply businesses; they are institutions built around a binational tradition of seasonal migration.
That tradition now faces a political test. The trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa, which escalated last year, appear to have soured some Canadians on traveling south. What was once a straightforward decision about weather and cost has become, for some, a question of principle. The result is a quieter-than-usual booking season for operators who have staked their livelihoods on Canadian loyalty.
For business owners like Clavet, the cancellations represent more than lost revenue. They signal a rupture in a relationship that took years to build. His properties, with their moose statue and bilingual welcome signs, were designed to make Canadian guests feel at home. Now some of those same guests are choosing to stay home instead.
The broader implications extend beyond individual motels. A sustained decline in Canadian tourism could ripple through South Florida's hospitality sector, affecting hotels, restaurants, rental properties, and retail shops that count on snowbird dollars each winter. Local governments that collect tourism-related taxes could also feel the pinch if the trend continues.
It remains unclear whether the drop in bookings reflects a temporary reaction to current political conditions or a more durable change in Canadian travel habits. Much may depend on how the trade dispute evolves and whether tensions ease in the months ahead. For now, operators are left to wait and see whether their Canadian regulars return.
What is clear is that the ties between South Florida and Canada run deep, built on decades of seasonal migration and shared community. Whether those ties can withstand the current political climate is a question that will play out not in negotiations between governments, but in the quiet decisions of travelers choosing where to spend their winters.
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