Canadians are leaving the country in record numbers and nearly 50% are from one province

New data shows Canadians are on the move, but not just across provinces — many are leaving the country altogether.

In 2024, emigration from Canada hit a level not seen in years, with thousands of residents deciding to start fresh somewhere else in search of cheaper cost of living or an improved quality of life. The trend has been building for a while, but last year's numbers set a new high, and one province played a massive role in the exodus.

According to a new report from rental platform liv.rent, which drew from recent Statistics Canada data, emigration from Canada last year reached its highest level since 2017, with 81,601 people packing their bags and heading for the exits in the first three quarters of 2024.

But the real shocker? Ontario alone accounted for a whopping 48% of those departures.

According to the rental platform, this marks the highest level of emigration from Ontario since 2011, making it clear that more and more Ontarians are deciding that life outside of Canada might be the better option.

While Ontario's relatively higher overall population could have something to do with its large share of emigrants, its 48% portion of departures is still well above its 39% share of Canada's total population — suggesting that residents are leaving at a disproportionately high rate.

Meanwhile, B.C., Alberta and Quebec followed as the next biggest sources of emigrants — with 18%, 13% and 13%, respectively — but none came close to Ontario's share of the national total.

In fact, Quebec's 13% is even more striking when you consider that it has the second-largest population in the country, making up 22% of Canada's total — yet it only accounted for the fourth-largest share of emigrants.

Ontario also saw the country's biggest net loss in interprovincial migration, meaning more people left the province for other spots in Canada than Canadians moved in.

Alberta, on the other hand, continued to be the top destination for those relocating within Canada by a wide margin, even though its in-migration numbers dipped slightly from 2023.

Liv.rent notes that the country's overall emigration increased by 3% year over year, continuing an upward trend that started after the pandemic.

And it's not just citizens and permanent residents leaving — Canada also saw a sharp drop in the net flow of non-permanent residents, meaning fewer temporary workers and international students stuck around. Ontario, again, led the way in this category with a staggering 66% decline.

With the cost of living still a major concern and housing affordability at crisis levels, it's not hard to see why more people are looking for opportunities elsewhere.

Whether it's for better job prospects, a lower cost of living or simply a change of scenery, 2024 has proven to be a year of big moves — and Ontarians are leading the charge out the door.

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