Canadians are leaving the country in record numbers and nearly 50% are from one province

So much for Canadian pride, eh? 🤨🇨🇦

Airport departures sign.

Canadian emigration is higher than it's been in years.

Sean Pavone | Dreamstime
Contributor
This story was fact-checkedi

New data shows Canadians are on the move, but not just across provinces — many are leaving the country altogether.

In 2024, emigration from Canada hit a level not seen in years, with thousands of residents deciding to start fresh somewhere else in search of cheaper cost of living or an improved quality of life. The trend has been building for a while, but last year's numbers set a new high, and one province played a massive role in the exodus.

According to a new report from rental platform liv.rent, which drew from recent Statistics Canada data, emigration from Canada last year reached its highest level since 2017, with 81,601 people packing their bags and heading for the exits in 2024.

Remove ads. Go Pro.
Remove ads. Go Pro.

But the real shocker? Ontario alone accounted for a whopping 48% of those departures.

According to the rental platform, this marks the highest level of emigration from Ontario since 2011, making it clear that more and more Ontarians are deciding that life outside of Canada might be the better option.

While Ontario's relatively higher overall population could have something to do with its large share of emigrants, its 48% portion of departures is still well above its 39% share of Canada's total population — suggesting that residents are leaving at a disproportionately high rate.

Meanwhile, B.C., Alberta and Quebec followed as the next biggest sources of emigrants — with 18%, 13% and 13%, respectively — but none came close to Ontario's share of the national total.