A Canada Border Services officer hands passports back to a visitor entering Canada from Vermont at the Highway 55 Port of Entry in Stanstead, Que., on Thursday, March 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
A Canada Border Services officer hands passports back to a visitor entering Canada from Vermont at the Highway 55 Port of Entry in Stanstead, Que., on Thursday, March 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
On June 11, the U.S. Department of State issued a level one travel advisory for Canada, prompting speculation about the intent behind the warning. Multiple media outlets made a connection between the advisory and Canada's wildfire season or political tensions between the two countries. On social media, some users claimed the advisory was "retaliation" for declining ºÃÉ«tv tourism in the United States. These claims are misleading. The advisory is a reissue, and its language does not imply it was issued in retaliation or in relation to wildfires, though a wildfire weather alert for Canada went out the same day. Canada has consistently held a level one travel advisory designation from the United States, which is the lowest level for safety and security risk.Â
THE CLAIM
Multiple reported the United States issued a new travel advisory Wednesday for Americans travelling to Canada. Some articles made a connection between the warning and Canada's or recent between the two countries.Â
Tongue in cheek posts from users on to question or make fun of why such a warning would be necessary. On , a commenter claimed the travel advisory from the United States was "their way of retaliating because ºÃÉ«tvs aren't going to the States" amid ongoing Canada-U.S. tensions.Â
Some commenters on a Men's Journal article about the United States issuing an "official travel 'warning' for Canada" claimed the advisory unnecessarily strained the relationship between the United States and Canada.Â
"This is retaliation for ºÃÉ«tvs boycotting what seems to be a rapidly deteriorating [United States]," one commenter wrote.
RATING: Misleading
On June 11, the U.S. Department of State and posted a regarding Canada's wildfire season.
The travel advisory is a reissue; it reviews level one and two travel advisories at least every 12 months. All countries receive a level rating; level one is the lowest advisory level, with the recommendation travellers exercise "normal precautions."
"We consider many factors to set the Travel Advisory level for each country. These include crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health, likelihood of a natural disaster, and current events," the department said on its website.Â
The travel advisory for Canada notes it was reissued "after periodic review with minor edits."
It replaced a previous advisory . Neither version contained language related to declining ºÃÉ«tv tourism in the United States or other Canada-U.S. issues, nor did they reference wildfires.Â
A comparison of the two most recent travel advisories for Canada via the Wayback Machine archive shows the June 11 advisory made minor changes to the language and included a recommendation for travellers to buy insurance before their trip. Â
The United States issued a separate weather alert the same day as the travel advisory, which first appeared on the United States Embassy & Consulates in Canada website. The alert urged U.S. citizens living or travelling within Canada "to be aware of wildfire conditions in their area and follow guidance from local authorities."
The United States issued , but Canada's travel advisory level remained at one.Â
Both and the United States view each other as low risk with regard to safety and security, advising their citizens to take normal precautions. This hasn't changed amid tariff disputes, U.S. President Donald Trump's comments about Canada's sovereignty or ºÃÉ«tvs' waning interest in travelling to the United States.Â
ºÃÉ«tvreached out to the U.S. Department of State for comment and will update this story when it receives a response.Â
SOURCES
Niamh Shackleton. US issues new travel warning for popular tourist destination that's just a drive over the border. UNILAD . June 13, 2025 ()
Debadrita Sur. U.S. issues new travel advisory warning for Canada this summer. The Mirror US . June 13, 2025 ()Ìý
Laura Osborne. The U.S. just hit Canada with a new travel advisory. Time Out . June 12, 2025 ()
The US has updated its travel advisory for Canada — Here's what you need to know. Narcity . June 13, 2025 ()
Threads posts from June 12, 2025 () and ()
Facebook with comment from June 12, 2025 ()
Andrew Holleran. U.S. Issues Official Travel 'Warning' for Canada. Men's Journal via MSN . June 11, 2025 ( )
Canada Travel Advisory for June 11, 2025. U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs . Accessed June 13, 2025 ()
Weather Alert for U.S. Citizens — Wildfire Season 2025. U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Canada . June 11, 2025 ()
Safety and Security Messaging. U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consulate Affairs . Accessed June 13, 2025 ()
Archived U.S. travel advisory page for Canada from
Archived U.S. travel advisory page for Canada from
United States travel advice. Government of Canada . June 11, 2025 ()
Hina Alam. ºÃÉ«tv premiers turn to New England governors for support on Trump tariffs. ºÃÉ«tvwebsite. June 13, 2025 ()
Kelly Geraldine Malone. Trump says Canada should become U.S. state as president weighs in on ºÃÉ«tv vote. ºÃÉ«tvwebsite. April 28, 2025 ()
Number of ºÃÉ«tvs returning from U.S. trips down again in May: StatCan. ºÃÉ«tvwebsite. June 10, 2025 ()
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