Hey there. In my opinion, summer officially ends after Labour Day weekend. Yes, I know it technically hangs on until Sept. 22, but I’ve decided otherwise. And if I’m declaring it fall, we might as well go all the way and start talking about winter. More specifically: snowbirds. Let’s get into it.

For the Canadian snowbirds of yesteryear, escaping winter has meant one thing: heading south to the United States.

But after more than a year and a half of strained Canada-U.S. relations, tariffs and calls to buy Canadian, that tradition may be broken for a second year in a row.

Last year, Canadians pulled back sharply from travel to the U.S. as the trade war and political tensions fuelled frustration with our southern neighbour. Canadians took nearly 10 million fewer trips to the U.S. in 2025 than they did the year before, a decline of 25 per cent, according to the Bank of Canada.

There have recently been some signs of a thaw in travel, even as the trade relationship has gotten chillier. In June, Canadians returned from 2.3 million trips to the U.S., up 5 per cent from a year earlier and marking the third straight month of year-over-year increases, according to Statistics Canada. Still, the number of trips remained nearly 25 per cent below levels in June, 2024.

And snowbirds who are heading south appear to be keeping their options open a little longer. Canadians are booking stays in Florida about five days closer to arrival than they did last year, while nightly rates are about 8 per cent higher, according to Key Data, which tracks reservations across Airbnb, Vrbo and dozens of property-management platforms.

The U.S. also recently updated its registration guidance so that Canadians whose most recent entry was through Nexus or another qualifying program are considered already registered, meaning they don’t have to complete an additional registration form simply because they’re staying for 30 days or longer.

When I checked in with snowbirds around this time last year, readers were divided over whether they would stick with the U.S. or take their winter spending elsewhere. Now, with another snowbird season approaching, I want to know what you’re actually doing.

Are you heading back to Florida, Arizona or somewhere else in the U.S.? Are you swapping your usual snowbird destination for Mexico, Europe or somewhere farther? Or are you staying in Canada this winter? Fill out this quick survey and let me know.

Share of baby boomer workers aged 62 and up who don’t plan to retire within the next five years, according to a survey by recruiting firm Robert Half.

How did this 64-year-old find her identity after leaving a 35-year career?

What’s happening: Trish Exton-Parder, 64, retired in 2019 at age 57 after spending 35 years working in communications and media relations at the Calgary Zoo. She was ready for a more balanced lifestyle after years in a job that could demand her attention around the clock.

Life in retirement: While retirement initially felt like relief, she soon struggled with who she was without her career. She felt pressure to reinvent herself and figure out what this next stage of life was supposed to look like.

Key takeaways: Trish says retirees shouldn’t put too much pressure on themselves to immediately find a new purpose after leaving work. Instead, she recommends giving yourself time to try new things and see what sticks. “Last but not least, take time to celebrate where you’ve landed,” she said.