Since 2020/21, more Ontarians have been leaving the province for other parts of Canada than have been moving to Ontario, and have been doing so at the highest rate in the past 30 years, finds a new study published today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Ontario used to be seen by Canadians in other provinces as an attractive place to move to, but for the past five years, Ontarians have been leaving the province and moving elsewhere in Canada in the greatest numbers in 30 years,” said Grady Munro, a senior analyst with the Fraser Institute and co-author of Interprovincial Migration in Canada, 1995-2024: What Do the Numbers Tell Us? The study examines interprovincial migration between the years 1995/96 and 2024/25 broken down by age group as well as province of origin and destination.
In total over the past 30 years, Ontario (-168,166) has experienced some of the highest net out-migration nationwide. Quebec (-255,988) experienced even higher outmigration over the time period, and relative to their respective populations, Newfoundland & Labrador, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan experienced the largest rates of people leaving in favour of other provinces. In Ontario, the province enjoyed net in-migration from 2015/16 and 2019/20, and also from 1996/97 to 2002/03, but suffered net out-migration from 2003/04 to 2014/15.
However, the highest rates of net out-migration over the 30-year period have been the past five years from 2020/21 to 2024/25. In contrast, provinces like British Columbia and Alberta have both experienced net inmigration over the 30-year period. “Understanding the relative attractiveness of different provinces over time is important since it can lead to discussions about specific opportunities or challenges faced by different provinces,” said Munro.
Cumulative In-Migrants, Out-Migrants, and Net Migration, by Province, 1995/96–2024/25 Click here to read the full study: Interprovincial Migration in Canada, 1995–2024 What Do the Numbers Tell Us?
