Most Canadians Permanently Leaving Are Fleeing Ontario and BC

Canadians are leaving the country in large numbers, and many are saying goodbye for good. In the first quarter of 2025, about 27,100 people permanently left Canada—marking the second-highest first-quarter outflow ever recorded, just behind 2017. This steady climb in departures has been building for years, and for many, it’s becoming a clear sign of dissatisfaction at home.

Of all the provinces, Ontario was the biggest source of those leaving. Although the province is home to nearly 39 percent of the country's population, it accounted for more than half of the people who left in that period. Around 13,600 people moved away from Ontario alone, which is its highest first-quarter departure number ever. That’s a 3 percent increase from the year before and a sign that many residents are fed up.

British Columbia followed, with about one in five of the total emigrants coming from the province. Roughly 5,500 people left BC in the same timeframe, which is also a 3 percent jump from the previous year. It was the second-largest Q1 departure number the province has ever seen, adding to the broader trend of residents moving abroad for good.

Alberta and Quebec also saw more people leaving. Alberta accounted for about 12 percent of those who left Canada—around 3,300 people—and that’s the third-highest number the province has ever recorded in a first quarter. Quebec matched that number, with around 3,300 people emigrating as well, marking another 3 percent rise compared to the year before.

Smaller provinces like Manitoba and Saskatchewan experienced fewer departures, but the trend still points upward. Manitoba had 748 people leave, and Saskatchewan saw 467 go. Both increases were around 3 percent. Even Atlantic Canada, which usually sees low numbers, is now seeing higher-than-usual departures, with Nova Scotia leading the region.

One major reason behind this wave of emigration—especially from Ontario and BC—is the high cost of housing. These are among the most expensive places to live in Canada, and more people, particularly young and skilled workers, are choosing to leave rather than continue struggling with unaffordable living. For them, starting fresh somewhere else seems like a better deal.