Boston Mayor Wu Faces Backlash Over Taxpayer-Funded Family Trip to Canada

BOSTON, MA — Mayor Michelle Wu is under fire for spending over $5,000 in taxpayer money on a family trip to Canada where she participated in chopping down a Christmas tree for Boston Common. The trip occurred from November 9 to 12, during which Wu, accompanied by her family and two staff members, traveled to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

The total cost to taxpayers of the trip was $5,062, which covered hotel accommodations for Wu, her husband, and their three children. However, the city did not fund the flight tickets for her family, with Wu flying economy for a total of $573.79. Her hotel stay at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel cost $735.24.

Wu’s staff members’ expenses outstripped hers. Paul Bologna, the mayor’s photographer, incurred costs of $1,990.07, while Phyllis St-Hubert, the director of scheduling and advance, spent a total of $1,762.90 on her trip. Their journeys included both flight and accommodation expenses, which greatly added to the overall taxpayer-funded bill.

The trip was framed as part of a commemoration of a longstanding relationship between Boston and Nova Scotia, initiated after the 1917 Halifax Explosion, which killed about 2,000 people. In return for Boston’s support during that crisis, Nova Scotia has sent an official Christmas tree to Boston ever since.

Wu made history as the first Boston mayor to attend the tree-cutting ceremony in Nova Scotia, taking part in the event by using a chainsaw on the 45-foot white spruce. This tree, which will officially serve as Boston’s 2025 Christmas tree, is set to arrive at Boston Common on Tuesday.

Mayor Wu expressed her gratitude for the tree and the partnership between the two locations, saying, “Our two communities share a special bond that continues to be strengthened year after year through this holiday tradition and our ongoing partnership.”

Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore echoed Wu’s sentiments, emphasizing the historical connection between their cities. He plans to visit Boston next month, stating, “Our bond is forged by history and strengthened through tradition.”