‘We’re unique’: Trade war tests friendship between New Brunswick and Maine border towns

Many people in St. Stephen, N.B., are expressing their displeasure with the newly-implemented U.S. tariffs.

The historic friendship between St. Stephen, N.B., and Calais, Maine, is facing the test of a trade war.

Tracey Matheson says up until recently it felt as if she lived in “one community,” separated by an international boundary. Lately, Matheson says that line has never felt more divisive.

She’s concerned tariffs may change the area permanently.

“It’s terrible how things are going,” says Matheson, a resident of St. Stephen. “This is not how our two countries should work together.”

Matheson is organizing an event Saturday at 2 p.m. on the town’s wharf (overlooking Calais) to show solidarity for Canadian sovereignty, as well as unity between the two border communities.

“We want people to know we’re standing together to support our country,” says Matheson.

It’s the second time Matheson has helped organize such an event at the town’s wharf. The first event in January brought out about a dozen people, with participants in Calais also gathering directly across the St. Croix River.

“We’re unique,” says Matheson. “We are like one community.”

A variety of cross-border ties and traditions run deep in the area.

The celebrated relationship between St. Stephen and Calais includes an international festival each summer, which officially begins with a handshake between both mayors at the Canada/U.S. bridge boundary.

Local fire departments in Charlotte and Washington Counties have a long-standing agreement to respond to emergencies in both areas.

The number of individuals who cross the border daily for family and work became apparent during the height of COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Every fluctuation in the Canada/U.S. dollar is followed closely, with cross-border shopping an outside draw and daily way-of-life.

CTV Atlantic spoke with several residents who were shopping at St. Stephen’s primary shopping centre on Wednesday who said their cross-border shopping habits are down significantly.

“It’s cut it down probably 99 per cent,” says Canadian resident Wayne Patterson. “We used to go to all the stores over there, but now you can’t bring anything back without paying the difference on the dollar, the tariff tax… this is bad, bad, bad.”

There was little to no delay throughout the day Wednesday at either side of the Ferry Point International Bridge, connecting the downtowns of both communities.

St. Stephen Mayor Allan MacEachern notes local traffic is down at the area’s border crossings, describing the tariffs as “a sick feeling” around his town.

“I consider Calais part of my hometown,” says MacEachern, in an interview with CTV Atlantic on Tuesday. “It always feels like my community.”

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