Cross-Border Buzz: Travel Soars from Eastern Ontario to New York State

Well, isn't this a welcome sight for those who love to hop across the border! The latest figures show that July was a truly bustling month for travel between Eastern Ontario and New York State, with the number of trips hitting a high not seen in nearly two years. It's a noticeable uptick, and certainly an encouraging sign for cross-border movement and connections.

According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a grand total of 175,424 vehicles made their way through U.S. land border crossings in Alexandria Bay, Massena, and Ogdensburg, New York, during July. To put that in perspective, this marks the highest single-month total we've seen in 22 months, which is quite a jump!

Comparatively speaking, July's tally of 175,424 conveyances represents a pretty significant increase from the 163,306 trips recorded in July 2025. And while we're not quite back to the pre-pandemic vibrancy of July 2024 (197,000 conveyances) or July 2023 (193,000 trips), it's definitely a move in the right direction. It signals a notable resurgence, breaking a previous high set in October 2024.

This isn't just a one-off bump either; July marks the fourth consecutive month where we've witnessed an increase in these cross-border journeys from eastern Ontario into western New York State. That's a pretty encouraging sign, especially after a rather lengthy 14-month period where numbers were, unfortunately, on the decline. Prior to July, we saw 152,000 trips in June, 144,000 in May, and 127,000 in April – each month building on the last.

Let's break down where all this movement is happening. The Alexandria Bay port of entry, which connects via the Thousand Islands Bridge, saw a robust 72,200 conveyances in July. That's up from 67,200 during the same month last year. Then, heading over to the Ogdensburg, New York port of entry, facilitated by the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge, there were 24,500 trips, a nice bump from 21,894 in July 2025.

And for those traversing from Cornwall and Akwesasne to Massena, New York – notably some of the busiest crossings in the Eastern Ontario-Western Quebec region – a staggering 78,700 conveyances were recorded. This is up from 74,200 in July of the previous year. It really paints a picture of a region eager to reconnect and travel, whether for business, leisure, or family visits. It's a refreshing change of pace and suggests a brighter outlook for cross-border activity ahead.