A California resort city, known as Palm Springs, is displaying signs throughout its downtown area that read “Palm Springs Loves Canada”. This is an effort to convey to Canadian tourists that the city’s values and views towards Canada are not in line with the actions of Donald Trump. Approximately 300,000 Canadians visit Palm Springs annually, and they play a significant role in the local economy, accounting for around 2,000 jobs in the hospitality industry.
The mayor of Palm Springs, Ron deHarte, acknowledges that the current US government’s tariffs and rhetoric regarding Canada have led some Canadians to cancel their trips to the city. Though the full impact of this decline in tourism may only be felt in the coming winter season, local officials are working hard to send a positive message to Canadians in the hopes of reversing this decision.
The presence of Canadian tourists in Palm Springs has far-reaching effects on the local community. They not only contribute financially to the city’s businesses, but also participate in volunteer work, local functions and events.
Signs supporting Canada, including one from a local carwash shop, Desert Hand Wash, were first reported by The Palm Springs Post. The owner of the car wash, Bob Smiland, recognizes the importance of Canadian tourism to his business and believes that action needed to be taken.
While Palm Springs has a reputation for being a welcoming and inclusive city, the community is still impacted by Trump’s policies regarding trade, immigration, and views on the LGTBQ+ community. The city has even hosted protests against the US President.
Recent changes in the political climate have led to Canadian airlines, WestJet and Flair, reducing their flights from Western Canada to Palm Springs. In response to Trump’s policies and tariffs, some Canadians are selling their vacation homes in the area and local real estate agents have noted this trend. Local officials are closely monitoring these indicators and believe that the impact will be more significant if the situation continues into next year.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/08/trump-canada-tariffs-california
