TORONTO/NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Reuters) -

Air Canada ( ACDVF ) is betting on corporate demand to support

an expansion of service from Toronto's downtown airport,

including new routes to the United States, in a boost for

crossborder travel despite trade tensions between the two

countries.

Canada's largest carrier will offer new service from the

country's largest city and economic hub to New York, Boston,

Washington and Chicago, Chief Commercial Officer Mark Galardo

told reporters at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

Canadians have been slashing travel plans to the United States

over U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff war, with airlines

like Air Canada ( ACDVF ) and United Airlines cutting capacity on

certain U.S.-bound leisure flights.

According to the latest data from Statistics Canada for

September, returning Canadian residents and non-residents to the

country declined 16% over the same month a year earlier, in the

eighth consecutive decline.