Trade war could be disastrous for Flathead Valley

Recently the Montana Free Press ran an excellent article examining the impact US tariffs will likely have on Canadian trade and visitation in the Flathead Valley. Author Justin Franz did a good job of describing how our economic ties have evolved over the past 40 years. Our family has owned property in the Flathead since 2004 and in Fairmont Hot Spring BC since 2003. We regularly visit both British Columbia and Alberta several times a year to ski, hike or just enjoy cultural differences. 

Our real estate purchase in the Flathead is in Meadow Lake Resort in Columbia Falls. For a decade I served on several homeowner associations alongside mostly Canadian owners from border towns as well as Calgary and even as far north as Edmonton. At one point upwards of 65% of home and timeshare ownership in Meadow Lake was Canadian. Much of the Valley has taken shape by Canadian developers and business owners. The influence and presence of our Canadian neighbors has benefitted the entire cultural, economic, and social life of the Flathead.  

A trade war could be disastrous to our local economy. Current exchange rates have already heavily dampened Canadian visitation and spending. Upwards of 30% of HOA delinquency of maintenance fee payments in Meadow Lake are due to economic stress on Canadian owners. The Trump Administration has no knowledge of, awareness about or concern for the long standing economic and even familia ties between US and Canadian border areas. And talking to our Canadian friends, the ripple effect is starting to impact attitudes throughout the UK and especially England. From our time in Canmore AB in February, we could feel the resurgence of their Canada First movement which is quickly uniting all of Canada. Which may be good for Canada but likely bad for the US. Thank your neighborly Republican when employees quit, shops close and services are cut. 

Pat Malone, Columbia Falls