‘Very disturbing’: Canadians flee Florida, worrying business owners
FORT MYERS, Fla. (WFLA) — An estimated 60,000 Canadian citizens flock to Florida each year, including many “snowbirds” who spend their winters in the Sunshine State.
In the wake of a new Trump administration policy requiring background checks and fingerprints if they plan to stay more than 30 days, as well as an ongoing trade war with our neighbors to the north, some Canadians say they’re leaving Florida for goid.
“I live here six months. This is my home, but I’m leaving April 2nd,” a Canadian woman named Susan told NBC affiliate WBBH. She wasn’t comfortable giving her last name, fearing Canadians could become targets amid escalating tensions with U.S. leadership.
Susan was just one of several Canadians who said they’re selling their properties with no plans to return to Florida.
“We don’t want to be the 51st state, but we just want to be very good allies and wants things to go back to the way they were,” Canadian Janet Rockefeller said.