2021 Data Digest

With $16.2 billion in truck trade and $2.7 billion in rail trade in 2020, the Cascade Gateway continues to be a border system of national significance.

Value increased at some ports and decreased at others.

While ports-of-entry like Lynden saw a decrease of 34% in southbound trade values, and the value of Abbotsford-Huntingdon northbound exports dropped 22% since 2019, there were increases elsewhere.

Import values increased both at Pacific Highway (6%) and Sumas (17%). This suggest that some goods may be using different ports-of-entry than they did previously. Or, that the commodities that typically use Lynden on Abbotsford-Huntingdon were more negatively affected than those that typically cross at Pacific Highway.

Based on data collected in the 2016 Border Freight Operations Study, over 60% of the southbound trucks at Lynden are empty. However it is important to note that this port is permit-only for all commodities except for empty trucks, which influences the mix of goods crossing through it.

The opposite is true at the largest commercial port of the region. At Pacific Highway northbound, 92% of trucks are loaded.

Primary commodities crossing the Cascade Gateway are electronics and machinery, wood and wood products, and vehicles.