Canadians Are Moving Abroad in Record Numbers — And Most Are Leaving a Few Provinces
New numbers show that more Canadians are moving out of the country than ever before — and most of them are coming from just a few provinces.
In 2024, a total of 106,134 people left Canada for good. That’s the most in a single year since 1967, making it the biggest wave of emigration in more than 50 years. Many say the reasons include high living costs, expensive housing, and better job opportunities abroad.
The trend is only growing in 2025. In the first three months of the year, 27,086 people moved away — more than any other first quarter in Canadian history. Only about one-third as many Canadians returned, making it a record loss for one quarter.
Ontario leads the way
Ontario has become the centre of this exodus. In 2024, 50,680 Ontarians left the country — nearly half of all Canadian emigrants. That’s more than 2.5 times as many as British Columbia, which was the next highest. And in early 2025, over 50% of those leaving Canada came from Ontario.
B.C. and Alberta higher than expected
British Columbia and Alberta are also seeing more people leave than their population share would suggest. In 2024, B.C. made up just under 14% of Canada’s population but almost 19% of departures. Alberta, with about 12% of the population, had nearly 13% of departures.
Quebec holds steady
Quebec, however, is bucking the trend. With nearly 22% of Canada’s population, it saw fewer than 13% of emigrants in 2024. In the first quarter of 2025, Quebec’s share fell even lower, to about 10%.
