U.S. town that relies on Canada for almost everything worries trade war could be its death

Point Roberts, a U.S. community in Washington state, is so Canadian that it advertises its gas prices in litres as well as gallons.

It's also wholly reliant on its Canadian neighbours for essentials, from electricity to water treatment.

That's because the exclave of just over 1,000 people is fully cut off from the United States by land, with visitors having to travel through British Columbia to get there.

The bulk of its economy is centred around catering to Canadian tourists, many of whom have summer homes in the community or who nip across the border for cheaper gas and groceries.

But with Trump's talk of annexing Canada and a groundswell in support for Canadian businesses amid tariff threats, the number of British Columbians making that trip every day has slowed to a trickle.

"If I don't do well in the next few months here, I might have to close my doors," says Tamra Hansen, owner of the Saltwater Cafe, which is decked out with both Canadian and American flags. A cutout of a wooden moose with the word "Canada" sits in a planter at the doorway.

She says the vast majority of her customers are Canadian, and most aren't showing up.

Brian Calder is a former Vancouver city councillor with dual citizenship who grew up visiting his grandparents in Point Roberts. He's also the former president of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce and now calls the hamlet home, but worries if relations between his two countries continue to deteriorate, the community will disappear.

"Ninety per cent of our economic activity comes from British Columbia," he said. "Take that away .. and we're done."

Point Roberts is a product of the 1846 Oregon Treaty between Britain and the United States that established the 49th parallel as the main boundary between the two countries. While an exception was made to bend the border around the southern end of Vancouver Island, the 12.6-square-kilometre tip of the Tsawwassen peninsula fell under American jurisdiction.

It has no mayor or city council, with its political representation overseen by Whatcom Country, about 80 kilometres and two international border crossings away.

To that end, Calder isn't just worried about a drop in visitors. He points out that Metro Vancouver and Delta, just across the B.C. border, supply essentials like electricity and water treatment and if they get hit with tariffs or surcharges, it would simply be unaffordable to carry on.

"We can't do without Canada's support. We won't exist," he said.

Brian Calder has been petitioning political leaders on both sides of the border for exemptions from whatever trade action may come Point Roberts' way.