A new study from the University of Toronto has documented a substantial decrease in Canadian visits to major US metropolitan areas, using cell phone tracking technology to measure cross-border movement patterns.

The research found a year-over-year median decline of approximately 42% in Canadian visits to US metropolitan areas. This figure significantly exceeds official border-crossing statistics, which recorded a roughly 25% decline in Canadian visits to the United States over the same period.

The disparity between the research data and official border statistics suggests that while some Canadians continue to cross the border, they may be avoiding urban centers specifically. The cell phone tracking methodology appears to capture movement patterns within metropolitan areas rather than just border crossings.

The University of Toronto researchers developed the tracking tool to monitor cellular activity and movement patterns between the two countries. The technology provides more granular data about visitor behavior within specific geographic areas compared to traditional border crossing counts.

The study's findings indicate a notable shift in Canadian travel patterns to US cities, though the research does not specify the exact timeframe of the data collection or identify which metropolitan areas experienced the most significant declines.