Church Street Temporarily Renamed ‘Canada Street’

Bienvenue aux Canadiens!

That’s the message Burlington is sending to its northern neighbors this summer by temporarily changing the name of Church Street to “Canada Street” — or “Rue Canada,” for the French-speaking.

The symbolic gesture, which will run through Labor Day, is meant to foster goodwill with Canadians, many of whom have suspended travel plans to the U.S. amid rising political tensions between the two nations.

Burlington city councilors unanimously approved le changement de nom with a resolution at their meeting on Monday night. Councilors waved miniature Canadian flags after the vote passed.

The measure allocates $3,000 to purchase bilingual signage, including street signs, Canadian flags and other marketing materials.

“Symbolism is important. It shows that we care,” said Councilor Becca Brown McKnight (D-Ward 6), the resolution’s primary sponsor, who wore a Canadian flag-themed T-shirt to commemorate the vote. “It resonates beyond our borders, and it sends a clear message that here in Burlington, we are about connection, not conflict.”

Ties with Canada run deep in Burlington and the rest of Vermont. As many as 750,000 Canadians visit the Green Mountain State every year, boosting the state economy by an estimated $150 million.

But President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods — and threats to annex the nation as the “51st state” — have soured relations with Canada, which has struck back with tariffs of its own. Border crossings have dropped significantly.

Councilor McKnight said the name change is a playful way of showing appreciation to Canadians. It’s also a dig at Trump’s own penchant for rebranding national landmarks, such as the Gulf of Mexico, which the president renamed the Gulf of America on the first day of his second term.

As for Church Street, “The Google Maps name isn’t going to change,” McKnight said. “Some people may like it, some people may not like it, but they’re going to be talking about it. Church Street and Rue Canada will be on their minds, and that’s really the intention.”

Councilor Gene Bergman (P-Ward 2) said the gesture is also a rejection of the xenophobia perpetuated by recent unprecedented immigration raids. Over the weekend, thousands of Vermonters participated in the nationwide “No Kings” protests, many carrying signs deriding enforcement by immigration officials.

Groups on both sides of the border have made efforts to revive international tourism. In March, a Burlington woman delivered handwritten thank-you notes to Canadian shops, and in May, a contingent of Vermonters — including Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak — purchased goods at a Montréal farmers market. The tourism board for Québec’s Eastern Townships recently launched an ad campaign inviting Americans to “come hug it out” across the border.

The Church Street name change is effective immediately but will be marked with an official unveiling on the marketplace in the coming weeks.

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