Some residents are skeptical, saying Port of Bellingham plan literally ‘missed the Point.’
The connection between Point Roberts and Canada is obvious. It’s in the place names, like Ontario Way and Province Road; the common sight of Canadian license plates parked at the golf course; or the large number of Canadian boats docked at the marina.
But that connection has come with a cost.
“The Canadian dollar is the biggest driver ever, and if that Canadian dollar is in the toilet, we’re dead in the water,” said Allison Calder, Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee chair.
Visitors to the community, which is accessible by land only through Canada, have been on the decline since COVID, a trend that’s only been exacerbated by the geopolitical tension between the U.S. and Canada. Point Roberts’ economy, which has idled for decades, has suffered as a result.
“Our greatest concern at this moment, amongst some other more normal ones, is the greatly reduced border traffic because of the slight animosity between the U.S. federal government and Canadians,” said Elliott Smith, a board member of the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce. “That has dropped the number of regular visitors in Point Roberts down by a huge amount, so that is quite a tough bit to overcome.”
A new economic development plan for the exclave offered by the Port of Bellingham aims to change that — but it’s been met with mixed reviews from residents. Some locals say it’s a step in the right direction, while others worry it missed the mark entirely.
“We all love Point Roberts the way it is, too. It’s quaint, it’s peaceful, it’s friendly, you wave at people on the street,” Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce president and real estate agent Wayne Lyle said. “We don’t want it to get super busy or overdeveloped, but at the same time, we’d like more jobs and better economic support for the locals.”
Dee Gough, a local business owner who moved to Point Roberts in 2007, said that while she understands the need for an economic development plan, she feels like the port’s was “a little off” and worries many of the ideas in the plan are a moot point given the community’s lacking infrastructure.
Other residents were more critical in their feedback, such as Annelle Norman, the executive director of local nonprofit Circle of Care and the taxpayer association representative for the community’s advisory committee. She said she felt like there wasn’t enough research into the community’s history or enough community consultation.
“They missed the Point — quite literally the Point as in the community of Point Roberts,” Norman said. “They didn’t ask for and they didn’t feel the pulse of the community.”
To sell or not to sell
The port’s plan identifies a handful of strategies it hopes will transform Point Roberts, including installing a sewer system, expanding broadband and creating a “resiliency hub.”
Much of the controversy over the plan hinges on the Point Roberts Marina. Once a strong asset to the community, it has fallen into disrepair.
The port, however, proposes public acquisition of the marina. The problem? The marina isn’t for sale, and the absentee owner has given no indication he’s willing to do so.
“It might be a bit of a pipe dream when you have somebody who just doesn’t care,” Calder said. “Unless someone forces their hand in selling, I can’t see him selling.”
She understands why the port focused on the marina, though, given the amount of developable land around it. Lyle as well believes the focus on the marina is warranted.
“Let’s not assume that it’ll never be sold,” he said, adding that it could be developed to include a town center, businesses, restaurants and cottages. “It could really become a real destination … that would be something very positive for Point Roberts.
Gough said an alternative to the marina could have been the BlackFish Resort on the other side of Point Roberts. The project is decades in the making and plans to offer a boutique hotel, restaurant and spa experience.
“I think (the plan) is a good starting point, but I’m not understanding why we’re focusing on the marina,” Gough said. “I don’t know why we didn’t shift the focus when the business was no longer able to be purchased.”
The port has opened dialog with the marina staff and manager but haven’t gotten any traction with the owner, according to Tyler Schroeder, the port’s economic development director. Instead, Schroeder said including the marina in the study was reflective of the marina’s potential community impact and the port’s desire to have a plan in place for when or if it is for sale.
“Whether that’s today or five years in the future, we just have to be prepared,” said Smith, who is also the port’s real estate director. “This is an amazing resource. You could never rebuild something like this in today’s world, we want to make sure this gets taken care of in the long term.”
Missed opportunities?
Although the port’s plan covered a lot of ground, residents say they wish it would have focused more on issues like affordable housing.
“Affordable housing is huge because we don’t have any. It’s not like, ‘Oh well, there’s just not a lot.’ There is zero,” said Calder, adding that it took three years to find a rental for her adult daughter.
The port’s plan did mention the need for affordable and workforce housing but did not offer many tangible solutions.
Other ideas from residents include rentable electric bikes to help visitors get around and developing cottage industries as well as things the community currently lacks, like a care facility for seniors, a veterinarian or a nail salon.
Some options weren’t explored because they weren’t feasible financially or were unlikely to get approved for environmental or tribal reasons, Schroeder said.
Regardless of their specific wish lists, most residents agree that diversifying the exclave’s economy is key to its survival.
“I want us to be able to go. It’s fine, we have the basics that we need to be self-sufficient,” Calder said. “We have jobs, we have water, we have everything we need to survive and actually have an enjoyable life. That’s where my goal is.”
If you build it, they will come
Residents say the plan has several great ideas but that most are a nonstarter without first focusing on infrastructure. Currently, the community lacks a commercial septic system or proper drainage.
Every time it rains, for example, Gough said, the streets flood.
“It’s been very neglected for many, many years,” she said. “Until we start dealing with the infrastructure problems that we have, we can’t move forward with anything.”
Calder, who also works in land use, said the lack of infrastructure has made new development almost impossible, even in areas where there is land available.
She recalled one example of a property owner who wanted to build a multiuse project with apartments on the top and commercial spaces on the ground level. But between the space needed to comply with wetland buffers and install septic the project wasn’t feasible — even though the property spanned 20 acres.
“No matter how I draw my pencil … I just can’t do it,” she said. “And it’s sad because that would be kind of cool.“
This isn’t the first time revitalization or infrastructure plans have been presented to the community, and most past attempts never panned out.
“I think, at this point, a lot of the community just feels like, yeah, yeah, another waste of money and time,” Norman said. “The cynicism and skepticism is running high.”
Whether or not the port’s plan comes to fruition is largely dependent on the appetite and funding for projects.
Calder, for one, is optimistic that the community could secure state funding for a sewer system. But she worries whether the local matching funds will materialize amidst Whatcom County’s budgetary restrictions.
Schroeder said money may be available through specialized county funds, grant programs or other streams.
“There’s always a worry about that,” he said. “I think the Port of Bellingham and the Economic Development Group has shown some good track record to find grants to be able to do that next step.”
He added that implementing a sewer system will be vital for the community, but he said the project will need buy-in from different stakeholders like the county, Chamber and property owners. The next step, he said, would be feasibility work, which isn’t yet scheduled.
Smith said the report is a mix of long-term projects such as sewage treatment as well as short-term projects like expanding bike and walking trails.
“The whole point of this … was not to have a study that then sits on the shelf,” Smith said. “I think the (projects) that get traction, that already have traction, are the ones that will get done first.”
Smith, a resident himself of Point Roberts, is optimistic about the community’s future
“Things are shifting a little bit. Yeah, there’s disappointment — maybe a project from 25 years ago didn’t succeed, and there are even more barriers now to keep it from succeeding, but there are a lot of other projects that can move forward.”
— By Sydnee Chapman
Also read in Salish Current:
• “Keeping Icelandic ways alive — in Point Roberts,” Nov. 12, 2025
• “Proposed Roberts Bank terminal will add cargo capacity — at what cost,” Aug. 25, 2025
• “Commentary: Borderlands anxiety prompts wider reflection on bioregionalism,” Feb. 10, 2025
• “Fewer Canadians getting to the Point: do trends signal long-term change?” May 20, 2024
• “Tyler Schroeder to lead Port of Bellingham economic development,” Feb. 29, 2024