Jay Peak GM Calls Impact of Canadian Tariffs "Catastrophic"

Wright continued by saying that Jay Peak and the state of Vermont are forecasting a 'potentially catastrophic amount of trouble' as it pertained to Canadians citizens unwillingness to visit the state for the 'indeterminate future.' He also touched on the increased costs of bringing in necessary operating equipment for the resort as a result of the tariffs. 

Located within Vermont's Northeast Kingdom, Jay Peak is the state's chief supplier of state and local taxes as well as more than 1,500 employment opportunities for Vermont's workforce, not to mention the most snow in eastern North America over the past winter, stated Wright. Despite these metrics, the ski area has already seen a massive decrease in Canadian visitorship. The 2026 fiscal year season pass sales has already seen a reduction of 35% by Canadian passholders. 

Wright recalled personally calling more than 150 Canadian households over the past two weeks. "They cite the Presidential Administration's flagrant disrespect of Canadian independence and not only a challenge to Canadian sovereignty but their own identity and they feel the need to respond," said Wright, summarizing the common sentiments of these phone calls.

One family told him they were not sure when they'd return to Jay Peak, if ever. Beyond just Jay Peak, the 50,000 yearly Canadian visitors inject $150M into Vermont's economy annually, a number that has already seen suffering as a result of the tariffs.

Wright closes his statement by noting the optimism required to work in the ski industry, one that is based largely on remote locations, fickle weather, and a lack of affordable housing. "The very last thing we need added to our plates is the President's anti-Canadian being driven by this administration that is neither grounded in logic nor supported by facts. It is my hope that ultimately cooler and more logical heads will prevail, but we have not seen much in the way of cool, and logic appears to be roughly five months out the proverbial window," said Wright. 

Jay Peak is not the only voice in the ski and outdoor industry to speak out about the affects of these tariffs. Earlier this week, women's ski and mountain bike brand, Wild Rye, opened to public investors as a way to bridge the financial gap needed to move product production out of China, as a result of the tariffs.

On May 5th, Black Diamond reported a 15-25% raise in prices as a result of the tariffs. Many more brands and ski areas have waited in hesitation to see how these tariffs will continue to impact an already precarious industry following the COVID pandemic and in the face of climate change. 

Vermont skiers and ski areas are no strangers to standing up to this administration. Wright's statement further exemplifies that just because an office in the ski industry might look a little different than one in the White House, it's doesn't mean they aren't prepared to suit up and fight back.