Canadians are leaving Canada in record numbers and almost 50% are from one province

The number of people leaving Canada reached a record high in 2025, with over 120,000 Canadians emigrating over the course of the year, according to the latest Statistics Canada data.

And while more people are leaving Canada than at any point in recorded history, nearly half of them are coming from one province.

The latest figures show Canadians leaving the country at levels not seen before, with Ontario alone accounting for almost 50% of all departures nationwide. The trend comes as many Canadians continue to grapple with affordability pressures, housing costs and economic uncertainty, while immigration to Canada has also slowed sharply.

According to Statistics Canada's quarterly international migration estimates, 120,640 people emigrated from Canada in 2025, up significantly from the record-setting 118,409 departures in 2024.

Three provinces — Ontario, B.C. and Alberta — are largely leading that charge, with all three also posting their highest-ever emigration totals on record last year.

Ontario accounted for nearly half of all departures

A total of 56,266 people left Ontario in 2025, representing about 47% of all emigration from Canada.

That's a record-breaking year for Ontario and a sizeable increase from the previous year.

And while Ontario does have the most people of any province to begin with, it only accounts for about 39% of Canada's population, making its share of emigrants still disproportionately high.

B.C. had the highest emigration rate per capita

While B.C. recorded 25,145 emigrants, less than half of Ontario's total, it had the highest per-capita emigration rate in the country at roughly 442 emigrants per 100,000 residents.

That's nearly double the national average of about 290 per 100,000 people and almost 10 times the rate seen in Newfoundland, which had the lowest rate in Canada.

Together, Ontario and B.C. accounted for two-thirds of all people leaving Canada in 2025, despite making up about half of the country's population.

The provinces with the most people leaving Canada

Based on Statistics Canada data, these were the provinces with the highest numbers of emigrants in 2025:

1. Ontario: 56,266 (348 per 100,000 people)
2. British Columbia: 25,145 (442 per 100,000 people)
3. Quebec: 15,913 (176 per 100,000 people)
4. Alberta: 14,690 (291 per 100,000 people)
5. Manitoba: 3,112 (206 per 100,000 people)

According to Statistics Canada data, 15,913 people left Quebec in 2025, up steadily from recent years and marking the province's highest emigration level since 1971.

Meanwhile, Alberta saw 14,690 residents leave the country, giving it the third-highest share of emigration nationally and a per-capita rate slightly above the Canadian average.

What's behind the increase?

The broader backdrop helps explain why migration patterns are getting so much attention.

Immigration to Canada fell 19% year over year in 2025 after the federal government drastically lowered the country's caps on permanent and temporary residents and study permits.

Interprovincial migration also slowed by about 9% year-over-year, suggesting fewer Canadians were moving between provinces as overall mobility cooled.

Overall, the shift comes amid changing federal immigration policies, softer economic conditions and ongoing affordability challenges in many parts of the country.

For now, one thing is clear: emigration from Canada keeps surging, and Ontario and B.C. are quickly outpacing other provinces in their departures.

Whether the trend continues into 2026 remains to be seen, but the latest data suggests a growing number of Canadians are deciding their next chapter may lie beyond Canada's borders.

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