BellinghamAbbotsford

Bellingham-Abbotsford is a cross-border urban region that links Bellingham, Washington, in the United States, with Abbotsford, British Columbia, across the Canada–United States border. The term is used in discussions of transborder urbanism and regional planning to describe the economic and social ties between the two cities and their wider metropolitan areas, Whatcom County and the Fraser Valley Regional District.

Geographically, Bellingham sits on the shores of Bellingham Bay at the southern end of the Salish Sea, while Abbotsford lies inland in the Fraser Valley, east of Vancouver. The two cities are connected by major border crossings and regional transport corridors, and they sit within a broader Northwest Pacific economic and ecological context that includes agriculture, shipping, and tourism.

Economy and cross-border ties in the Bellingham-Abbotsford region are shaped by cross-border trade, commuting, and shared markets. The Fraser Valley’s agricultural output and the services sector in Abbotsford complement Whatcom County’s industries, while tourism, higher education, and cultural exchange cross the border. Residents frequently travel for work, education, or shopping, and businesses on both sides of the boundary participate in interconnected supply chains and labor markets.

Transportation and institutions frame cross-border interaction. The region relies on U.S. and Canadian highway networks and border facilities, including crossings at Sumas and Peace Arch, to support commuting and commerce. Educational links include Western Washington University in Bellingham and the University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford, reflecting longstanding academic exchange and regional collaboration.

See also: cross-border regionalism, Peace Arch Border Crossing, Sumas border crossing.