Exodus from Canada Hits a Seven-Year Peak, Sparking Nationwide Housing Concerns

In a shocking turn of events, Canada is witnessing an unprecedented wave of emigration, with a staggering 81,601 citizens leaving the country in 2024. This represents the highest number of departures in nearly seven years, marking a significant turning point for the nation’s immigration and housing landscape. The sudden rise in people bidding farewell to the “Great White North” has caught the attention of policymakers, residents, and analysts alike, sparking debates about the root causes behind this mass exodus and its impact on Canada’s housing market in 2025.

The Migration Surge: What’s Driving It?

Canada is not just experiencing an increase in emigration—it’s witnessing a nationwide shift. For the first time since 2017, all provinces report a marked rise in citizens leaving the country, with Ontario leading the charge. But what’s causing so many Canadians to leave their homes? Analysts suggest several factors contributing to this growing trend:

• Rising Cost of Living: Canada’s rapidly increasing living costs, especially in major urban centers like Toronto and Vancouver, have become unbearable for many, pushing people to seek more affordable opportunities abroad.
• Stagnant Wages and High Rent: While wages have failed to keep up with inflation, rent prices have surged, making it increasingly difficult for residents to maintain a decent standard of living.
• Housing Crisis: A housing market that is becoming increasingly inaccessible for most citizens, particularly first-time homebuyers, is forcing many to consider relocating elsewhere.

In particular, the housing crisis has worsened over the past year, causing a sense of unease across the country. According to the latest 2025 Rental Market Trend Report by liv.rent, the outlook for the rental market is grim, with growing uncertainty around rental prices and housing availability.

Ontario: The Epicenter of Emigration

Ontario has emerged as the clear leader in the migration exodus, with nearly 39,430 residents leaving the province in 2024. This figure accounts for a staggering 48% of the total emigration from Canada, marking the highest departure rate from Ontario since 2011. The pressure is intensifying in Ontario, which continues to face a combination of rising rent prices, unaffordable housing markets, and stagnant wages.

Non-permanent residents, such as international students and temporary workers, are also part of this trend, with a 66.52% surge in departures compared to the previous year. This mass exit is a reflection of Ontario’s growing affordability crisis, with residents opting for relocation—either within Canada or overseas—as a way to escape the escalating costs of living.

Dr. Emily Carter, a housing expert, explains, “Ontario has become a pressure cooker. As rents continue to rise and homeownership becomes increasingly unattainable, individuals are seeking alternative opportunities, whether abroad or within their own provinces.”

British Columbia and Alberta: The West Coast and Prairie Woes

Not far behind Ontario, British Columbia saw a significant emigration spike, with 14,836 residents leaving in 2024. While this number is lower than 2017’s record of 16,869 departures, it’s still concerning enough to have analysts worried about the province’s shrinking population and its housing market. As B.C.’s appeal to immigrants dwindles, Alberta is beginning to steal the spotlight. The province’s housing affordability and job opportunities are drawing former residents of Ontario and B.C., leaving British Columbia grappling with population decline and a stressed rental market.

Alberta, on the other hand, has become a prime destination for those fleeing more expensive provinces. The province has seen significant migration growth, as many people flock to Alberta in search of better job prospects and lower housing costs.

Quebec: The Outlier in the Emigration Trend

In stark contrast to the rest of the country, Quebec has held steady, with only 937 people leaving the province in 2024. This marks a significant improvement compared to previous years, with departures nearly halving from 1,531 in 2021. Quebec’s ability to maintain population stability is attributed to its strong immigration numbers, welcoming nearly 47,000 newcomers in 2024—a decade-high, excluding the exceptional 2022 spike.

While Ontario and B.C. are grappling with rising emigration, Quebec is bucking the trend, largely driven by its lower cost of living, tight housing supply, and growing immigrant population. Quebec is also benefiting from a 7% uptick in non-permanent residents, further cementing its position as an immigration hub in Canada.

The Decline of Non-Permanent Residents: A 50% Drop

A major shock to the system in 2024 is the significant drop in the number of non-permanent residents—those temporary workers, international students, and refugees who have long contributed to Canada’s population growth. In 2024, Canada saw a 50% decline in the net flow of non-permanent residents, down from 636,427 in 2023 to 319,506. This dramatic shift has sent shockwaves through the housing and rental markets, with provinces like New Brunswick, Nunavut, and Ontario seeing the most significant outflows.

The drop in non-permanent residents is partly due to the federal government’s decision to slow down immigration growth, signaling a cooling of the once-booming immigration rates. As a result, the rental market is facing severe challenges as fewer people are coming into the country, and more are leaving.

Housing Construction Crisis: A National Emergency

The housing sector is not immune to the mass emigration and migration shifts occurring across the country. Canada’s housing construction industry has taken a significant hit, with housing starts, in-progress projects, and completions all seeing a steep decline in 2024. Housing starts, which are the first step in building new homes, dropped by 25%, with apartment construction plummeting by 27%.

Ontario and British Columbia, already hit hard by rising emigration, are seeing a shortage of new units, exacerbating the pressure on the rental market. With fewer new homes being built, the supply of available rental units is dwindling, driving up rent prices and making it harder for renters to find affordable housing.

The Rental Market: A Tale of Two Canadas

The rental market in Canada has become increasingly polarized. While Alberta experiences a rental boom, with consistent rent increases across all unit types, cities like Vancouver and Toronto are seeing rent prices stagnate or even decrease. Alberta’s affordable housing and job opportunities are attracting families from Ontario and B.C., contributing to the rising demand for rental properties.

On the other hand, Ontario and British Columbia are facing the brunt of the crisis, with Vancouver, in particular, seeing a notable decline in rent prices, especially for furnished units. This shift highlights a growing imbalance in the rental market, where the once-booming cities are now losing ground to more affordable regions like Alberta.

Interprovincial Migration: Alberta Emerges as the Top Destination

While Canada faces increasing emigration, interprovincial migration is also reshaping the nation’s demographics. Alberta continues to attract the most in-migrants, with over 77,000 people moving to the province in 2024, marking a net gain of more than 30,000 residents. In contrast, provinces like Ontario and British Columbia are losing talent to Alberta, further exacerbating the challenges faced by their local economies and housing markets.

Alberta’s reputation as a low-cost, high-opportunity province is drawing in workers and families from across Canada, positioning the province as a key player in the country’s future growth.

Looking Ahead: A Rental Market in Flux

As Canada moves further into 2025, the rental market is expected to face significant challenges. Emigration, combined with a slow down in immigration growth and a decline in housing construction, will continue to stress Canada’s rental supply. While Alberta stands poised to benefit from increased migration and growing demand for rental properties, Ontario and British Columbia will need to adapt to the shifting demographic and housing landscape.

With fewer people arriving, more leaving, and the supply of new housing slowing down, the future of Canada’s rental market is uncertain. Will Alberta continue to rise, or will the challenges in Ontario and B.C. create a nationwide crisis? Time will tell, but one thing is clear: Canada’s housing saga is far from over.

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