Nearly 51,000 Ontarians closed the door behind them last year, each suitcase a testament to a shifting national tide. In 2024, the province that once drew hopeful newcomers now leads Canada’s exodus—a migration wave not seen since the days of Expo 67.
Ontario’s outsized role in this historic movement is impossible to ignore. According to the latest figures, almost half of all Canadians who left the country in 2024 hailed from Ontario. The numbers cut a stark silhouette: 106,134 departures nationwide, with Ontario alone accounting for nearly 51,000. In raw scale and in proportion to its population, no other province comes close.
Behind every statistic stands a person weighing the cost of staying against the promise of something better elsewhere. The landscape of interprovincial migration offers another layer to the story. Ontario, despite its economic clout, posted the worst net loss in the country, with more people heading out than arriving—23,585 more, to be exact. Alberta, on the opposite end, welcomed a net increase of some 36,000 Canadians, its oil-rich plains and growing cities drawing those in search of opportunity or breathing room.
Not all provinces feel the churn equally. Quebec, for example, holds onto its residents with an iron grip, contributing only about 12.7% of emigrants despite comprising 22% of the population. Meanwhile, British Columbia saw departures nearly rivaling Quebec, even with a much smaller population base.
What is driving this flight? The culprits are as familiar as a spring flood: rising costs, housing woes, and the lure of jobs elsewhere. For Ontarians—especially those eyeing the West or even a new country—affordability and hope for a fresh start often tip the scales. The grass may not always be greener, but at least it’s different.
The consequences ripple far beyond individual families. Ontario’s shrinking appeal has knock-on effects for its communities, businesses and—if trends persist—its standing in the national mosaic. The era of Ontario as Canada’s beacon may be dimming, replaced by a new story etched in migration data and personal reinvention.
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Canadians are leaving the country in droves and one province is leading the exit
