Canada just broke an emigration record with more people leaving the country than ever before

Canadians are leaving the country in record numbers, new data shows — and the vast majority are moving away from a few specific provinces.

The latest Canadian migration statistics reveal just how sharp the rise has been, with more residents choosing to start a new life abroad. Whether it's due to the cost of living, housing affordability or better job opportunities elsewhere, the trend of Canadians leaving the country has reached a historic high.

According to Statistics Canada data, 106,134 people left Canada for good in 2024. That's the highest number of annual emigrants the country has seen since 1967, marking the biggest year for Canadians heading for the exits in over half a century.

What's more, though, 2025 is picking up right where last year left off.

The first quarter of the year — the most recent for which data is available — saw a higher level of net emigration than any other Q1 in Canadian history. A whopping 27,086 people moved away, while only around a third as many returned, setting a new record for net loss in a single quarter.

One province is leading the exodus

If there's a face to Canada's emigration trend, it's probably Ontario.

The province set an all-time record in 2024 with a whopping 50,680 departures. That's more than 2.5 times more than B.C., which had the next-highest number that year.

To put that into perspective, nearly half (48%) of all people who left Canada last year came from Ontario — even though the province only makes up 39% of the country's population.

That means Ontarians are leaving at a way higher rate than anywhere else, even after you factor in the fact that the province has more people to begin with.

And things got even more lopsided in the first quarter of 2025.

In just the first three months of this year, over 50% of the people who left Canada were from Ontario — setting an all-time provincial record for any Q1.

B.C. and Alberta are punching above their weight, too

While Ontario dominates the numbers, British Columbia and Alberta are also seeing higher-than-expected numbers of Canadians packing their bags.

In 2024, B.C. made up 13.8% of Canada's population but accounted for 18.5% of the country's departures. Alberta also had an oversized share, contributing 12.9% of national emigration despite having 11.9% of the population.

Ontario, B.C. and Alberta are the only three provinces whose emigration level outsized their population share.

Quebec's staying put

Quebec, on the other hand, seems to be holding onto its people with an iron grip.

In 2024, the province made up nearly 22% of Canada's population — but accounted for less than 13% of the emigration total. That makes it the most underrepresented province in terms of departures.

In early 2025, that trend continued. Quebec was responsible for just 10% of the national emigration in Q1 — despite its huge population size.

So what's happening?

There's no single reason why people are leaving Canada in record numbers, but experts have pointed to everything from the cost of living and housing crisis to job opportunities and weather. And while emigration isn't the only migration trend Canada is seeing, it's becoming a big one — and fast.

Whether it's temporary or permanent, more Canadians than ever are deciding that their next chapter might be written somewhere else. And for a growing number of them, that journey starts at Pearson or YVR.

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