Why This American Town Could Be Sold to Canada

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Point Roberts, a tiny U.S. exclave beneath Greater Vancouver. For years, Canadians have been the lifeline of the economy, but in March 2020, when both governments closed down their borders, residents became entirely isolated. Leading one man to bring forward an old question:
Should this American town become a part of Canada?
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Faultline is produced by:
Executive Producer/Story Editor/Host: Andy Burgess
Story/Research: Jennifer Landrey
Production Manager: Anjali Sharma
Edit & Animations: Tom van Kalken
Consultants: Brian Calder, Victor Riley & Mark Swenson
Additional Footage from Storyblocks & Archive.org
Archive Maps from David Rumsey
Music from Musicbed // fm.pxf.io/c/2423499/1347628/1...
Sources 🔗
pointrobertsnow.com/
• Whatcom County Council...
• Point Roberts, WA - Ho...
• Point Roberts 175th An...
content.lib.washington.edu/sa...
www.leg.bc.ca/dyl/Pages/1846-...
• Point Roberts
globalnews.ca/video/6489937/f...
www.nesto.ca/home-buying/vanc....
www.nwnewsnetwork.org/economy...
globalnews.ca/news/6490982/th...
Time Stamps:
0:00 - America’s most isolated town
2:09 - How did Point Roberts get cut off from the rest of US?
5:28 - The high and lows of the Point Roberts economy
6:14 - The argument for selling this town to Canada
8:19 - How much does any American town cost to buy?
9:31 - Paying the bills
11:00 - Can one man sale Point Roberts to Canada?
11:26 - The argument against selling this town to Canada
12:49 - What does the future for Point Roberts look like?
#USA #canada #PointRoberts

[@Faultlinevideos]

Go to ground.news/faultline to stay fully informed on breaking news, compare coverage and avoid media bias. Try it out or subscribe through my link for 30% off for unlimited access before June 30 and get it for as little as $5 a month.

[@Iheartseattle1]

As someone who lives in the northwest, I can tell you that point roberts was very much on purpose. Boundary bay is one of the most successful crab fisheries on the west coast. Point roberts and the San Juans mean that most of the bay is in the maritime borders of the us. Also, supposedly witness protection likes to hide people there

[@dsxa918]

Yeah Witness Protection makes so much sense

[@DennisTheInternationalMenace]

​@@dsxa918 😂😂😂

[@dsxa918]

Unless you were crafty with it and took a boat, across, to land in the peninsula. I knew that when I said "it makes so much sense" but I said that because the place is so literally distinct from the country that your chances of any Americans finding you are vague.

[@dania201]

Just have the US Military buy the locals out and turn it into a base.

[@IliaDem]

@@langshenyou1750 What if you take a boat from Seattle?

[@dickiewongtk]

'Adding Point Roberts can help housing crisis in Vancouver.' Have you heard about a little piece of land as large as Vancouver itself called Delta? It is not the lack of land that cause the housing problem.

[@EditorVJAS]

I agree with the point you are making, as there is land available, and space is not the main issue for the housing problem. Delta isn't the best example as a large part is included in the Agricultural Land Reserve, thus not available for urban development, and a large chunk is Burns Bog, and not suitable for any development.

[@checory]

@@EditorVJAS exactly. if people know more about the local geology, soil down there is great for farming but not so great for building, especially with the rise in sea level, municiaplities in low lying area would have to upgrade their dyke system extensively. it's better to build on slopes of mountains where tall towers can put their foundation down to bedrock

[@blvck5943]

Housing crisis is never just simply about land you gotta add desirable to it

[@IMRadishMan]

Been there personally, but I got the feeling from talking to residents that selling the land is not an option.

[@pta197]

The border isn't the problem. It's actually one of the best things they have going for them, and for Canadians too. IE hundreds of people picking up packages, enjoying free domestic shipping prices, cheap gas, and the people who live there enjoy cheap housing by Vancouver standards. They just need a more sensible way to manage that border, which could easily be agreed upon, without selling the land.

[@seav80]

NGL, the "San Juna Islands" bit at 4:44 made me wince.

[@diceofchaos6560]

I stopped watching after that

[@canadagood]

I tend to mistrust a person's expertise in international relations when they can't pronounce Juan, Jose or Tijuana.

[@realisticrain8976]

I did a double take when he said that. How do you screw up THAT bad?

[@caleblaw3497]

I also stopped watching after that. If he didn't even do his homework to get the correct pronunciation, you can imagine the quality of the video and his other videos wouldn't be very high

[@markkempton4579]

@@caleblaw3497 LOL. It's literally the first name you learn in Spanish class. Not everyone took Spanish, but who doesn't know the name Juan?!

[@graham1034]

There is no way that it's worth $5B to Canada. IMO the residents should have a referendum to decide which country they want to live in.

[@DennisTheInternationalMenace]

Agreed! Worth way more

[@jeremynicholson6073]

They can't because they belong to whatcom county who uses them like a piggy bank the whole population voted to leave whatcom county but because their an unincorporated township whatcom county has to hold a vote to allow them to leave it's fucking ridiculous I lived a year before and during the entire pandemic I actually got kicked out of Canada for trying to move back because the Canadians expected me to be able to afford a moving service that didn't exist

[@SuperCatacata]

This. Let the people who actually live there decide.

[@MrTampaB]

Doesn’t really work like that. It’s a vacation town and that’s a lot of property, sales, income and other taxes for the country and state to just lose.

[@graham1034]

@@MrTampaB do you think Britain would make Scotland pay to leave or Canada make Quebec pay?

[@cooltrainsinmontreal4883]

There are three such enclaves, Point Roberts, The Northeast Angle, and an island in New Brunswick with its only road access to Maine

[@DennisTheInternationalMenace]

They should trade those for that or for Campobello and Grand Manan Islands.

[@Zeyev]

Thanks. I wondered if anyone would point out that Point Roberts is definitely NOT unique. Strange. Rare. But not unique. And the 49th parallel is only part of the border. As an person in my 70s I will add a loud "harrumph" to my comment. 🤣

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

​@@Zeyev You're free to do so!

[@LavitosExodius]

You mean the Northwest Angle not Northeast or the Angle

[@nlpnt]

The Alburgh Tongue in Vermont is like that geographically but has bridge-and-road access into both the rest of Vermont and into New York State. The overland route between Burlington and Plattsburgh goes through it.

[@MitchellRianSmith]

I grew up in Tsawwassen (the town on the other side of the Point Roberts border) and I will say the facts in this video are excellent. Yes we mostly use the crossing the get gas and ship things from the US to US to get cheaper shipping charges. Couple things I will mention. I did go to high school in Canada with a few people that lived in PR, but I'm not sure how 'easy' it was for them to do. Some residence of PR work in Canada. During Covid, they would cross the border, park on the Canadian side, and then take transit to work to avoid people seeing Washington plates and thinking they crossed the border when the border was closed.

[@johnlacey3857]

How were they allowed to cross the border into Canada?

[@MitchellRianSmith]

I'm not too sure of the details, but the borders were never shut closed during Covid. For example if you wanted to drive to Alaska from Washington, you were able to but you were not allowed to stop for anything other then gas and food. As for the PR residence I'm not sure what they told the border guards when they crossed

[@oliverwisemiller7607]

@@johnlacey3857 They were probably essential workers, like 85% of us were. Also, as mentioned, a lot of PR are dual citizens. I'm a dual citizen living in interior BC, and I was able to go to the states whenever I pleased.

[@johnlacey3857]

@@oliverwisemiller7607 Really? I too am a dual citizen but was not able to cross the border into Canada without special permission (eg. family emergency or essential business travel) AND a 14 day quarantine.

[@jk484]

@@oliverwisemiller7607 but when you reentered Canada, you would have needed to do a 14 day quarantine, right?

[@wasakawakawaka2028]

Many years ago, I hadn’t realized that port Robert’s was actually US territory and I accidentally drove to the border to access the ocean. I was stuck in a very large lineup and only realized that it was a border crossing when it was almost too late to turn around, as I was afraid I’d be flagged and searched when I did this. Anyways, it was the easiest border crossing to the US that I’ve ever made. I told them it was a mistake and they said, that’s okay, go on through. It’s a lovely place!

[@ericsilberstein667]

The ocean is to the west.

[@NucleusG4]

@@ericsilberstein667 … And to the south.

[@Qwijebo]

I crossed over many times pre-9/11 waved through on both sides, didn't even check ID.

[@lizardking2407]

There is a similar geographical anomaly called Provonce Point, VT, although that parcel of land is uninhabited

[@TProphet]

The US has 3 exclaves: Point Roberts, Hyder, Alaska, and the Northwest Angle, Minnesota. Canada also has Campobello Island.

[@lizardking2407]

@Babu Mengelepouti Not trying to contradict you, but can you help me understand why Province Point isn't included in your list of "pene-exclaves" (none of these appear to be true exclaves by definition). There is no meaningful geological disparity between Point Roberts and Province Point, other than the amount of land and the fact that one is inhabited and the other is not. Again, not trying to contradict you, just engage in a meaningful discussion as to why you feel PP isn't included.

[@solracer66]

My crazy idea is to set up Point Roberts as a Andorra-like principality that is neither the US or Canada but rather that is managed as a condominium in a similar manner. This would free up Point Roberts to have its own treaties with Canada to ease access while also allowing them to better control their local economy by making it a tax haven. Obviously the devil is in the details but it's worked for Andorra for hundreds of years so we know it is possible.

[@johnchedsey1306]

I've visited Point Roberts in the past and even sorta wondered what it would be like to have a house there. I had lots of friends around Vancouver and would have enjoyed visiting a lot. Anyhow, one glance at house prices (around 2016) and I was like "Nope". Covid would have been a nightmare situation. I guess what was frustrating was that the US and Canada couldn't sort out a situation where BC "adopted" Point Roberts till vaccines became common and allowed some cross border traffic.

[@aaronscarpa7469]

Canada didn’t want to make an agreement.

[@E4439Qv5]

​@@aaronscarpa7469 Trudeaun't

[@mathildamurray2622]

The problem with that is that to open it to Canada they would have to close it off from the rest of the US, which would have been a logistical disaster.

[@ZachShock13]

Why has WSDOT not put in a ferry here? They have the ferries running to Whidbey and Vashon islands. Both very small communities (not as small as Point Roberts) and this would be so easy to improve the community, run it from Bellingham and run it every two hours. As a vacation location it would be similar to the San Juan runs.

[@MajoCardona]

Im pretty sure they will lose alot of money

[@stephaniejoy2496]

The WSDOT is already underfunded and the ferries are breaking down weekly. Point Roberts isn’t on the priority list.

[@TProphet]

I asked the same question of our state representative. The short answer is the ferry system is a mess and they are more likely to contract than expand. However, it makes total sense: the San Juans need another route out in case Anacortes becomes, for some reason, impassible (we do live in an earthquake zone). What's the next best alternative, Port Townsend? Also, it would effectively open up the San Juans as a tourist destination for people living in the Lower Mainland.

[@professionalbackflipguru]

Plus it doesnt have the population for a ferry service, not even Guemes has a WSDOT ferry, and yea the ferries break down every other month and they are understaffed

[@DennisTheInternationalMenace]

​@@stephaniejoy2496 Why not a bridge? There's bridges that are much longer in the world.

[@jdegennaro18]

‘Juan’ in ‘San Juan’ is pronounced ‘Wan’, which is Spanish for John.

[@djwhitewalrus2241]

That pronunciation fucking sent me.

[@exiteastvideo]

Fascinating. Love the production quality. The animations are impressive.

[@duncanmackenzie321]

It's really a total mischaracterisation to say that Point Roberts would just be absorbed into Vancouver's urban sprawl, or even that it would be of any great utility in that regard for Vancouver. Everything between Point Roberts and the Fraser river is suburban towns and farmland, with the latter in the majority. Vancouver has room to grow, Canada has no use for this insignificant speck of land, and it's certainly not worth $5b.

[@Mr.Septon]

The only real benefit would be to the people of the location, in terms of being physically connected to their nation going forward, adding additional security during events that close borders. Personally, and this isn't the only location like this in Canada. I believe one exists in Ontario as well, but anyway, I figure an easier solution would be an agreement between Canada and the United States of America where either they are granted dual citizenship, or at least special status that allows crossing regardless of border crossings as if they were Canadian, and to allow easy access to our services. We could either split which services are covered by who, or Canada could provide the utilities and services, whereas the US covers the cost. I think there are better solutions than buying the land. That and from the various videos and interviews that I see, most of them that have stayed in Pointe Roberts don't want to stop being American.

[@duncanmackenzie321]

​@@Mr.Septon This just seems like a lot of legwork for the benefit of only 1100 people. Personally, I think the residents of Point Roberts will just have to deal with the downside of being an American exclave. If that ever becomes too burdensome for them, they should organise a referendum and in the case that the result is in favour of joining Canada, they should petition Ottawa and DC to facilitate the cession of the territory. Until then, Point Roberts is an American problem.

[@auliamate]

@@duncanmackenzie321 guy really took the "ew, americans" joke too seriously 😭

[@DioTheGreatOne]

Vancouver has one of the most inflated housing markets in the planet, the city is surrounded by mountains where housing can't be built. Point roberts could provide a good amount of housing for people living next to the Vancouver area

[@duncanmackenzie321]

@@DioTheGreatOne There's farmland and low-density suburbs in Delta that could be developed much more cheaply (and without the need for a negotiated cession of foreign territory).

[@realhawaii5o]

If the US has any arguments against the sale, I'll just remind that Rio Rico was given to Mexico.

[@KINOanatomy]

As always, amazing work. I cant wait between every video, Just for the sheer map-core aesthetic. Bravo and merci for your work from the other side of the channel

[@jaunedroite]

As a EU/Schengen citizen, I really wonder why it is so hard for the US and Canada, two countries with very close ties, to agree on some form of open border policy that would eliminate most of these problems.

[@Jason.Goldstriker]

Because having open borders creates bigger problems then 1000 people being inconvenienced

[@sb782]

Guns….

[@Saffarts]

I think it’s because Canadians want their sovereignty. If the United States and Canada had an open border policy, the Canadians would lose a lot of what would make them feel Canadian. As an American who lives abroad, I would love an open border policy with Canada, but the North American mindset is stubborn.

[@PlutoniumDG]

9/11 made border crossings way harder

[@matthewgray1591]

As a Canadian myself, I would be very against such an idea until the US began real work on sensible gun laws, among a few other like things. Otherwise, I would be all for it.

[@estraume]

Instead of selling, why not just exchange Point Roberts with a similar sized area of Canada: The US get the area south of 8 Ave between the beach and 204 St. No money needs to change hands and the people living in the two towns decide if they want stay in one or the other country by trading houses with each other.

[@speculationsperceived]

Will the residents want to become a part of the US, though?

[@TProphet]

@@speculationsperceived Oh come on, who wouldn't want to be American? We have the best healthcare in the world! I'm lucky enough to have insurance, and it doesn't pay for anything until after I spend $7,000 out of pocket. Amazing, right?

[@speculationsperceived]

@@TProphet Please tell me your comment is satire.

[@gordonronco]

Great video! Off The Cuff went there and made a minidoc during the height of pandemic that's worth checking out as well. I'm only a 2 hour drive away and considering a day trip there this summer.

[@TProphet]

Come visit, it's lovely!

[@solarguy1702]

While working for the USPS, I considered applying for a transfer to pt. Roberts as my best friends lived in Whiterock.

[@mav3061]

I'm a Canadian who owns a vacation property there and personally I hope it stays American even though financially I would make a lot of money in that case. It would get developed and turn into Tsawwassen overnight ruining it. I do understand why some residents might support that though.

[@somedudenamedryan]

Its interesting how they have to go American schools an hour away. I wonder why they cant just send then to a Canadian school system

[@nerfherder4284]

​@@somedudenamedryan it's just simply you'd end up with a Canadian diploma, I'm sure equivalent or better, but you know... lawyers.

[@nicolerichards5769]

There is a little spot in Minnesota that needs to go through Manitoba to get back in USA on Lake of the Woods so there is two spots technically

[@cameronwhitworth9519]

I like your videos. Keep them coming.

[@ryanelliott71698]

It’s a mixed bag as an idea I would say. As for the Vancouver housing angle, this is more of a zoning laws and beuqacratic issue that’s causing these sky high housing costs that would only be a temporary fix in an annexation of Port Robert’s.

[@leftcoaster67]

And greed of speculators and people making money from flipping houses to make profit. Not for people to live in.

[@NothingVideot]

Great video and production quality, though you might want to be a bit more conservative with the deep bass transition effect (for example 2:13 or 8:27). I was watching the video on my speakers + sub, and the effect gets a bit repetitive and shakes the windows every time 😄

[@christophercole8114]

There's at least one another rather unique anomaly of the US-Canada border that, at least to me, bears a strong similarity to Point Roberts. That's the Northwest Angle of Minnesota which, to reach by land, means two border crossings. There's also the matter of Campobello Island. So there are three rather unique border issues between the US and Canada.

[@neilmoryson]

It's different though because those places aren't located directly next to a large metropolitan city. Canadian suburbs (Vancouver suburbs) back right up to Point Roberts. Northwest Angle is located in the middle of nowhere in the bush with no major city right next door. Same with Campobello Island. No major cities anywhere close.

[@DocJ58-OCB]

This is an extremely knowledgeable video, one of the best I've seen on the subject of whether or not Point Roberts should become part of Canada...the only thing I saw as a red flag mistake, was you pronunciation of San Jaun, it is SAN Wan (like swan without the S) as opposed to San jewauna as you pronounced it. This is a very small mistake however, in an informative and entertaining piece of content...Thank you for doing it ( I was born on the very west coast of Vancouver Island in Port Renfrew, and raised in the Cowichan valley, spent some time in Point Roberts and on the san Juan Islands,both the Canadian and American ones.)

[@tabitha2706]

There’s another town just like it in Minnesota. And I seem to remember one or two others.

[@josephdiamond1970]

This is not a unique situation on the US - Canada border. Campobello island is a Canadian enclave (island) that is cut off from the rest of Canada and Angle Inlet is another US enclave, part of Minnesota, cut off from the rest of the US

[@reapings6912]

this video is on youtube 4 times already, with a near identical title.

[@coreyrobinson9010]

I grew up on the border and used to go to Point Roberts for scouting trips all the time. We used to play capture the flag at night at the whale observation decks.

[@donnicholson3170]

As a taxpayer I would be outraged to pay more than a dollar for Point Roberts!

[@morbital]

I live in New Westminster, only a short drive away from Point Roberts! I've never "officially visited Point Roberts, although one time I walked a little far along the west side beach and realized I had crossed the border illegally... I quickly made a U-turn back to Canada! 😂😂 Functionally I think Point Roberts should shift their focus to being an island economy, of which there are numerous examples nearby, like the aforementioned San Juan's and the American side, and Gulf Islands on the Canadian side. The problem now is that it's trying to be too many things and failing at all of them, a small town, a suburb, a bedroom community, a tourist destination, a real estate opportunity, etc. BTW, I'ts the San Juan (Pronounced "Waun") Islands.

[@morbital]

Also there is another similar community in North America. Northwest Angle in Minnesota on Lake of the Woods near the Provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, juts North of the 49th and is cut off from the rest of the USA via land.

[@robertolaiz]

No, it is not. It's "San Juan".

[@dsxa918]

I read that "San Waun" - what's your fkn point?

[@morbital]

@@robertolaiz I never said it wasn't, just that his pronunciation was incorrect from what locals call it.

[@morbital]

@@dsxa918 Did you watch the video?

[@dudermcdudeface3674]

Doesn't have to involve money. Exclaves are usually resolved with land swaps. Canada could probably offer some little island here or there that would be convenient for the US.

[@solracer66]

Campobello Island, only accessible by land from Maine, seems like the obvious choice...

[@JamieChristensen-hu9lv]

Love reading Jennifer's writing here. Everyone here made a fantastic episode!

[@HarvestStore]

Great video.

[@dorkusmaximus3033]

Thanks!

[@philp5432]

Sell both Point Roberts and Angle Inlet to Canada and redraw the 49th parallel border to be straighter. But put it up to the people of the towns to vote on it. They could keep dual citizenship, just make the land Canadian so they can easily get emergency services and whatnot

[@speculationsperceived]

The prices you give are inconsistent - is Pt Roberts C$1bn per mi^2 or US$1bn?

[@nicholaskelly1958]

This situation also applies to Angle Township in the Northwest Angle on the shore of the Lake In The Woods in Minnesota.

[@TProphet]

And Hyder, Alaska, also adjacent to British Columbia.

[@Kenadian2006]

Its not really as simple as Canada buying Point Roberts. The Canadian side of that border isn't Vancouver, or even Richmond, it's a First Nation territory.

[@coby9179]

not really though as far as i can se the tsawwassen neighborhood is not actually part of the Tsawwassen first nation territory but its just named after them. "Today, their territory has been reduced to a relatively small semi-enclave of Delta by the shore, between the Tsawwassen ferry terminal and the Roberts Bank Superport. They also own some lands by Boundary Bay and the Fraser River, but jurisdiction remains with the city of Delta"

[@SAMIAMFNX]

nobody cares about First Nation

[@morbital]

Nearby, but not directly north or the boundary. Municipality of Delta is.

[@AhmedMohamed-rn7nh]

I don’t see why Canada is even providing this city with water or electricity? And 5 Billion!? What a joke!

[@s.w.h96]

BC Power must be compensated by some agreement. Nothing is free.

[@Gilthwixt1]

Surprised you didn't mention Hey Arnold! or use a clip of it when you brought up the Pig War, they did a whole episode on that9

[@archeewaters]

northwest angle in minnesota is also surrounded by canada..

[@user-hj4lv1jf9p]

Actually, the "exact same situation" DOES exist on Campobello Island, New Brunswick, except it is Canadians who are isolated from NB. The only connection is a bridge to Maine. As with PR, on this island there are no facilities, hospitals, even gas stations! There is a ferry to NB but it only operates half the year. Some have suggested a trade, PR for Campobello. But that is as unlikely as PR being purchased by Canada. Then there's the Northwest Angle in Minnesota...

[@FonicsSuck]

The gentleman at the end said that there was no other place with the same problem as Point Roberts. I think the residents of Angle Inlet would disagree! They have the same situation but on the eastern end of the 49th. It's part of Minnesota but can only be accessed by a road through Manitoba. No part of Angle Inlet touches mainland USA. May as well be part of Ontario.

[@alexanderx5757]

So we really just gonna forgot about Campobello island which is literally the Canadian version of point Robert’s on the East coast.

[@Jason.Goldstriker]

Point Roberts serves its function to Canadians as a place to import goods and as a weekend vacation location as is why would we wouldn’t change anything its location/boardes is what gives it value.

[@NotThatEpic7492]

I basically live right next to that border, in Tsawwassen. (The other side of the border)

[@marcialabrahantes3369]

What about that town in upper Minnesota as well?

[@Homer-OJ-Simpson]

Just looked at google maps streetview. How interesting. There is no border wall or fence. Just a street that runs between them with what appears to be just one border crossing. It's also much more crowded on the Canadian side while the US side has lots of open lands.

[@binyominsilverman1592]

15:00 Northwest Angle, Minnesota is another example.

[@kosjeyr]

It ain't the only place with US Citizens having to go through 2 border checkpoints. The other is the NW Angle in Minnesota on Lake of the Woods.

[@nodreb123]

Has anyone ever looked at building a bridge? The closet points would be about 8 miles (13km).

[@jimdake6632]

The lack of flexibility or creativity shown by the Canadian and US governments during the Covid emergency toward residents of both Point Roberts and Angle Inlet, MN, similarly cut off, was just… frustratingly uncaring and stupid.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

I hope they decide to trade Point Roberts for a few square kilometers of land north of Minnesota in Manitoba that will help connect the Northwest Angle with the rest of Minnesota...

[@billTO]

Please... the 49th parallel DOES NOT run COAST TO COAST. I applies only as far as Manitoba. More than 50% of Canadians live well SOUTH of that latitude, in fact entirely south of Washington State, Montana and North Dakota. Windsor ON is SOUTH of Detroit.

[@TheKnightXavier]

Just to point out, the image used at 2:30 depicts plains First Peoples, not Coast Salish First Peoples. As far as I know (a resident of the Pacific Northwest north of the border) there are no Coast Salish peoples who used tipis for accommodation or housing. Most lived in cedar framed long houses or similar sorts of structures. Great analysis otherwise!

[@nerfherder4284]

All those indians look the same...JK. You are correct and good catch, the peoples of the Salish sea definitely didn't dress like that either. This isn't really a small thing as well, the plains tribes and the coastal tribes were as different as the French and the British.

[@PhailingMath]

4:44 the San WHAT islands???

[@jakolu]

These issues could also theoretically be solved through action on the part of both governments, involving legislation and possibly treaties, without transfer of sovereignty. Perhaps there would be some constitutional issues, but aside from that it should be straightforward enough, so long as everyone agrees. I'm thinking something similar to arrangements like the Italian and German enclaves in Switzerland have. Even those areas have bureaucratic issues still though.

[@germanshepherd6638]

We have one in Minnesota, the northwest angle

[@neilmoryson]

Located in the middle of nowhere. Point Roberts is basically a suburb of a major metropolitan city, Vancouver. That's the huge difference between the two places.

[@velear7]

It's pretty weird down there, took the 601 down there multiple times because I just like to admire it.

[@skysthelimitvideos]

Why don’t they just build a ferry service?

[@classicguy96]

Nice info bro

[@rufioh]

I wonder if they could administer it as an International Condominium

[@KarlVoelker]

The video asks rhetorically “could the 49th parallel be redrawn?”, which is a silly question. The 49th parallel is not some goofy alternate name for the border; it’s a line of latitude that *part* of the border happens to follow. You can’t redraw a line of latitude!

[@dhowe5180]

There is a lot of farmland between point roberts and metro Vancouver so land for housing isn’t necessary. It’s actually a good 45 min drive between pt roberts and downtown van. A lot of the undeveloped land is either First Nations land or under some sort or conservation easement, one reason why housing is so expensive in Vancouver. As a resident of WA state I think pt roberts (which is populated with Canadian tax cheats) is an economic burden to Washington and the US and should be traded away for some uninhabited Canadian island. I don’t think it will happen though. It would require an act of Congress and they have bigger problems to muddle through

[@OrganicScrumpy]

You used a clip of me that aired on Canadian TV. Most of the clip was edited and my message was distorted.

[@AdrianBoyko]

4:43 The San WHAT islands? 😳

[@fomfom9779]

Instead of selling, maybe the US would consider a trade? Say, all of Vancouver Island in exchange for Point Roberts? 🤣

[@joeshmoe8345]

Thanks

[@keithparker5125]

In answer to the chairman of the Pt Roberts chamber of commerce, the town of Rio Rico in Texas was ceded to Mexico by the USA in 1970. Perhaps they are not fully taught history in the US.

[@xandercruz900]

Not even remotely relatable to this.

[@A350Airways]

And any talk of selling Point Roberts to Canada should also include selling Northwest Angle (MN), too... and even $5B would still be too much for both.

[@stephenspencer4672]

Short of Canada acquiring Point Roberts a small ferry service could be established between Bellingham and Point Roberts. The affordability would be the big question.

[@leftcoaster67]

It would be a money pit. You need to buy the ferry, operate it, pay for crew and maintenance. For 1,191 people. Bowen Island off of Vancouver is 4 times the size, and 3x4 times the popluation, it does have it's own ferry. But I'm sure it's a money pit as well.

[@stephenspencer4672]

Ok I have read a lot of comments. But the problems remain without resolution. Such as access to proper Healthcare education and business and commerce. Point Roberts should become part of Canada. As for the 5 billion dollars the U.S. should just sign it over for a buck and be done with it.

[@maddiekits]

​@Stephen Spencer I don't really see how that's true, if there was a ferry to Blaine there would both be basic medical care and schools within walking distance of the possible ferry dock and the ferry would only be about 30 minutes(faster if they picked a special biat for it), which definitely isn't slower that getting through a border crossing lol, I think the comments are being a bit hyperbolic and washington state has plenty of money for it.

[@CalGarian-qn9pw]

@@leftcoaster67 Would it really be a money pit? All of Vancouver would drive through and use it.

[@jlm3744]

What about Angle Intel?

[@kosjeyr]

NW Angle! Glad I'm not the only one to bring it up.

[@CanImperator]

I doubt that we would be willing to spend that much money on that. Their best bet is probably to keep it and set up a ferry system.

[@timlinator]

If it looks like this is going to happen I am moving to Point Roberts before it is official to get Canadian citizenship.

[@PatriceBoivin]

New England should join too. They have more in common with Canada than with other parts of the US. We would also gain Stephen King, not a bad haul. 🙂

[@jamesalias595]

Just do a land swap so that the USA gets land to have access to the Angle Inlet. So swap Buffalo Point and some extra shore line on Lake of the Woods for Point Roberts. Seems about a fair trade.

[@byron7165]

This is not entirely accurate. Angle Inlet MN is also cut off from the USA by Canadian land. Though not as populated as Point Roberts, residents do have to cross 2 international borders to get to any other location in the USA. They have an ice road in the winter.

[@misterfunnybones]

Reasonably priced waterfront real estate in the PNW close to a major urban center. Internet, do your thing.

[@vamoscruceros]

Maybe the US should trade Point Roberts for a part of southeastern Manitoba to reconnect the Northwest Angle.

[@DennisTheInternationalMenace]

Why not trade that and Northwest Angles for Campobello and Grand Manan Islands?!

[@davidseto169]

No. I’d rather that the money be used to buy Aroostook County in Northern Maine, which would immensely shorten the distance between the Maritimes and southern Quebec.

[@jstnrgrs]

It would make total sense to give Point Roberts and the Northwest Angle to Canada and Campobello Island to the USA. But as I understand it, the people of all of those places would object.

[@jfs0000]

As I understand it the NW angle would object particularly strongly to being traded.

[@DennisTheInternationalMenace]

That and/or Grand Manan

[@samcs1453]

Stubborn people will just turn Point Roberts into a Ghost Town. People will eventually abandon the town with such stagnation. Point Roberts is not a make or break situation in British Columbia. Greater potential if Canada absorbs it.

[@HunRockRocks]

Agree!

[@crusiethmaximuss]

Why not trade the same amount of land? The size of Point Roberts for a chunk of Canada?

[@Hession0Drasha]

I hope so

[@s.w.h96]

@14:45, his statement is wrong. There are two other places along the Can/US border that are VERY similar. How could this man not know this?

[@SkepticalChris]

As a Canadian, who lives literally 25 min drive from Point Roberts, on the Canadian side, NO to buying or selling of Point Roberts. Keep Point Roberts AMERICAN! Reason? Its a GREAT PLACE to get American deliveries without the huge costs of international shipping! And this has actually helped create businesses on the American side that cater just to the shipping industry. Yeah it was bad during covid, but those times are over and things are getting better quickly.

[@sillopify]

The only reason covid was so hard for point roberts is because it was one of the few border towns to not get speicial exeptions on border crossing by the Trudeau government. Nearly every other border town had some avenue for residents to enter Canada. I live in Whatcom county, right on the US side of the border, and it caused quite the stir over here. I think our county government even petitioned Trudeau to give an exeption, and it was denied.

[@nerfherder4284]

What an altruistic thought 😑

[@CONSTANTINEXI63]

Well, you aren't Canadian

[@MusicAndMoreAJ]

So we are just going to forget about the northwest angle?

[@gtrevel]

I'm a Life Insurance Agent from Florida. I'm just placing myself in their shoes. Had I been stranded there, I would first get my License in Washington State and Network like crazy, Second, I would recruit people to build a little organization up there. I would be scared to death, but we all gotta make a way to survive without the Government.

[@aldore6220]

Let's see what will happen in the future

[@ISpitHotFiyaa]

The Northwest Angle has the same situation as Point Roberts. What they don't have is this ridiculous border post or a ton of demand for Canadians to want to go there. I wouldn't have a problem selling it to Canada though.

[@leftcoaster67]

I think a land swap like that would be the only logical solution. If you want a US mailbox there's other areas like Blaine, Birch Bay, Lynden that would gladly take up the slack. With more EV's now, the gas stations on Point Roberts are less and less important. Half a million dollars for a house there sounds cheap, but you can go up the Valley in the Greater Vancouver Area and it gets cheaper the farther out you go. I think the real issue is the few residents and long time owners of property there, want their cake and eat it too.

[@mathisnotforthefaintofheart]

I hope the sale materializes. To do away with this strange border oddity

[@paulbeatts]

Great idea

[@merc340sr]

Unless Point Roberts residents show overwhelming support for joining Canada, I don't think it will be a priority for both Canada and US governments. There are many border anomalies along the Canada USA border i.e. Northwest Angle Ontario-Minnesota, Rock Island Quebec, Akwesasne, Quebec etc...

[@Paprikasoup]

San "Juna" Islands? 🤣 4:41

[@HOTPLATEGAMING]

Mans butchered the hell of Juan lol