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B.C. to Erect 'Never the 51st State' Signs at U.S. Border

Eby framed the action as a rebuke of President Donald Trump and a call to buy Canadian as Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs took effect.

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British Columbia Premier David Eby responds after Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended trade negotiations with the United States, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, August 22, 2026. REUTERS/Jennifer Gauthier
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A crowd watches as B.C. Premier David Eby holds a media availability at Victoria’s Inner Harbour on September 8, 2026.

Overview

  • Premier David Eby unveiled the border signs Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, and announced they will be placed at Pacific Northwest crossings to emphasize British Columbia’s place in Canada.
  • Eby read the exact wording that will appear on the signs: “Welcome to British Columbia, Canada. Strong, proud and never the 51st state. Sorry.”
  • The unveiling coincided with Canada’s new retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods taking effect, and Eby warned the trade measures will cost jobs and force some businesses to close on both sides of the border.
  • The provincial government presented the signs as a symbolic rebuke of President Donald Trump’s rhetoric and as part of a broader effort to rally consumers to buy local products under a strengthened Buy BC push.
  • B.C. officials said the province has limited budget room to fund new business supports, so the signs and consumer campaigns are meant to supplement federal trade responses and signal possible cross-border economic pain to watch for.