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Americans ‘invade’ Nanaimo to help boost economy
When Nanaimo resident Tod Maffin invited Americans to come to his city to show their support for Canada, he didn’t think many would come.
However, it appears he was wrong.
Maffin posted a TikTok video in February inviting Americans to visit for this upcoming weekend and more than 2,000 have said they would come.
Some tourists were already in the city, while others said they were en route.
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“Even if 100 come, 100 people spending American dollars in this economy during the trade war is great,” Maffin told Global News.
“Look, we are a resource town,” Maffin said. “We’re forestry and fishery, our roots are in mining. To have people come and spend money in our economy during a trade war when those resources are being hit is just phenomenal.”
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Nanaimo man welcoming Americans to the harbour city amid political tension
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On Friday, Maffin will welcome everyone to Maffeo Sutton Park for a big family photo.
He has promised to take the tourists around and show them everything the region has to offer.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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